tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7565258780201041472023-11-15T22:42:14.140-08:00Our Firsts For a YearMaria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.comBlogger115125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-81201578933182222982014-05-04T23:40:00.001-07:002014-05-04T23:40:12.146-07:00Day 121: Running on the Beach<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFcimfGYyTHixsRAl9nVPuBWyGimxkXrZzGxnswWtDb_8SEL3-KC1Y309Y_-n8yQoHFRYEK_zK5OQ4JCGIuE51H18Pf3ZP3Ji2PIoGqCKUJJhYowUJi2IGCLuCGpjIOuBw4XojXapVV6M/s1600/Mission+Beach+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFcimfGYyTHixsRAl9nVPuBWyGimxkXrZzGxnswWtDb_8SEL3-KC1Y309Y_-n8yQoHFRYEK_zK5OQ4JCGIuE51H18Pf3ZP3Ji2PIoGqCKUJJhYowUJi2IGCLuCGpjIOuBw4XojXapVV6M/s1600/Mission+Beach+001.jpg" height="480" width="640" alt="Running shoes"/></a></div><br />
It's been a good 15+ years or so since I've been running on the beach. Cory and I challenged ourselves, but after 10 minutes I was exhausted. Running on sand is so much different than running on cement! We ended up walking, then meditating. It was the first day of the Santa Ana winds, so all the sand whirling around kept hitting us hard - not to mention it was extremely warm and humid - and we ended up going home much earlier than we wanted to.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bSDJmj7XBroPzlPtnwSp7XR_GZm5XuT3fhgbffgnjIQX-R56LiqW6p5zxB8t50yu0pUJoZXrhwd3hyFgZG7bolOw7iNG5f9Lek_h8Z0iHlWbsM3vA4Sp4jLwfDySAY5uYEYxeEFV_gw/s1600/Mission+Beach+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bSDJmj7XBroPzlPtnwSp7XR_GZm5XuT3fhgbffgnjIQX-R56LiqW6p5zxB8t50yu0pUJoZXrhwd3hyFgZG7bolOw7iNG5f9Lek_h8Z0iHlWbsM3vA4Sp4jLwfDySAY5uYEYxeEFV_gw/s1600/Mission+Beach+003.jpg" height="480" width="640" alt="Mission Beach in San Diego"/></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzb_JcZKloPLnFxdXgMG63ftzIH8NElL9G_cJgBTR8HwNEkDkLEhQoVl5xJzX9RXvkF1i53N8CF80PQZtKvV4a8ea88e9iTEiNUS20zOXkTitDyuPFsaAeAmTZH5xFDeDcKtck7xAIrcs/s1600/Mission+Beach+009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzb_JcZKloPLnFxdXgMG63ftzIH8NElL9G_cJgBTR8HwNEkDkLEhQoVl5xJzX9RXvkF1i53N8CF80PQZtKvV4a8ea88e9iTEiNUS20zOXkTitDyuPFsaAeAmTZH5xFDeDcKtck7xAIrcs/s1600/Mission+Beach+009.jpg" height="640" width="480" alt="Me on the rocks"/></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9WtNGThGKIUoFvT3tNCJjhowgjOiF8hEiYw3sfzOw_ywC57G2ja5Dn8hK0aOeRHt8kXWE33xizvzIU1FhTk4S_AX1n_8Q7UjSafiJ9iS545snn4V50JJpy_or53KyU79PiuMifUyB5c/s1600/Mission+Beach+014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9WtNGThGKIUoFvT3tNCJjhowgjOiF8hEiYw3sfzOw_ywC57G2ja5Dn8hK0aOeRHt8kXWE33xizvzIU1FhTk4S_AX1n_8Q7UjSafiJ9iS545snn4V50JJpy_or53KyU79PiuMifUyB5c/s1600/Mission+Beach+014.jpg" height="480" width="640" alt="Lifeguard station"/></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLPnhGI315dXQdkxqzpSKuT22CWNoJYTJEN9cuGy8kvHrVH6ajSMk8DCRG2d3dUm0ezVjBrrM-lWbanYv2UcdjvgUDkoqHc6lPSOUTiMG2CUBVwGQQ4_TunH8rQDM8DhCDO6Zi8kI4BQ/s1600/Mission+Beach+017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLPnhGI315dXQdkxqzpSKuT22CWNoJYTJEN9cuGy8kvHrVH6ajSMk8DCRG2d3dUm0ezVjBrrM-lWbanYv2UcdjvgUDkoqHc6lPSOUTiMG2CUBVwGQQ4_TunH8rQDM8DhCDO6Zi8kI4BQ/s1600/Mission+Beach+017.jpg" height="480" width="640" alt="Homes along Mission Beach"/></a></div><br />
</div>Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-84275357697453474592014-04-30T19:28:00.001-07:002014-04-30T19:28:49.946-07:00Update on My Firsts: Travel Adventures<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The past few weeks have been a whirlwind, so apologies for not checking in and keeping up with these firsts. Business has picked up for me, so I've been juggling a few projects while attempting to keep my sanity and "me" time. Also, I've been doing some traveling and busy doing "firsts" that I haven't been able to do any writing.<br />
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Some of the "firsts" I've done these past couple weeks include:<br />
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<li>Sitting in VIP section at a Padres game</li>
<li>Visiting the Getty Villa in Malibu</li>
<li>Driving the Audi Q7 onto the beach</li>
<li>Drinking chocolate beer</li>
<li>Driving up Pacific Coast Highway from San Diego to the Bay Area (14 hour drive total!)</li>
<li>Visiting Solvang, California</li>
<li>Visiting the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco</li>
<li>Visiting Sausalitos, California</li>
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Here are some pictures from my adventures...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4dP3sZs1Q2VoLGCVvjqtUBapqb-TCEiSzcWj0HAet13c1KeXH7d5NUi4CvCNd_ke5bpZ7XbBbV8Wr9x6CKG2AIm8Hzf5cIkaGGJYXmsic5CBO-deydUYQAij2sMG0VRd0QHM0b6gB4U/s1600/California+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4dP3sZs1Q2VoLGCVvjqtUBapqb-TCEiSzcWj0HAet13c1KeXH7d5NUi4CvCNd_ke5bpZ7XbBbV8Wr9x6CKG2AIm8Hzf5cIkaGGJYXmsic5CBO-deydUYQAij2sMG0VRd0QHM0b6gB4U/s1600/California+001.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i style="text-align: center;">Padres vs Rockies</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6quw9kvUiTeANY1oExxWts32X8rX4cgk2P34GXE6HWJtdsAlQw6-vEtPGyfzOcdkx3757s-nesXkWxmLXbLq03Q7vzeVlsooiMXowQ16XuYZHVNbOIidFwP_rc_f_LKhCLRHx30cci8/s1600/California+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6quw9kvUiTeANY1oExxWts32X8rX4cgk2P34GXE6HWJtdsAlQw6-vEtPGyfzOcdkx3757s-nesXkWxmLXbLq03Q7vzeVlsooiMXowQ16XuYZHVNbOIidFwP_rc_f_LKhCLRHx30cci8/s1600/California+002.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Courtyard at Getty Villa</i> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcAh4muRVM8OAdXkR4DDMfXkVhZN4hgL1i-bSk_663XPfRMrYbzHsBHvxbdNi5nNvNjq3PXRT1GA71lACnNswR7y97bBFzyVUQ_aqgfnVaGvqgTscv7CAnh3jKoeNwO1L3unEJwixNfpU/s1600/California+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcAh4muRVM8OAdXkR4DDMfXkVhZN4hgL1i-bSk_663XPfRMrYbzHsBHvxbdNi5nNvNjq3PXRT1GA71lACnNswR7y97bBFzyVUQ_aqgfnVaGvqgTscv7CAnh3jKoeNwO1L3unEJwixNfpU/s1600/California+003.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Testing the Audi Q7 on the beach</i> <i>Santa Monica</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMkQxrUuMd6KPXko7rJKF-wYmCwzWD7MagmF54BoPDU7E3fE8C9ReTbHC5hwbKxqYY893pGCcr6Q1oARI0YmOSU4BIlRASYT3pyRv9NbTIwh3NzUPkcCsTIZvLio2p5Fo8K04pv9wNUo/s1600/California+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMkQxrUuMd6KPXko7rJKF-wYmCwzWD7MagmF54BoPDU7E3fE8C9ReTbHC5hwbKxqYY893pGCcr6Q1oARI0YmOSU4BIlRASYT3pyRv9NbTIwh3NzUPkcCsTIZvLio2p5Fo8K04pv9wNUo/s1600/California+004.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>Solvang, California</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQb2jQL5K4R-r1HlGexQfR9RHZePwHPC2yfqm7RaU6R3Qy98ON2OzX99C81GhZAIL7bhu-DQpzGuhE4X1M0mZfvxba_BcXBuisk0g5bbnouSnvzEwN3LaVtZR_cdNFITTlUZq-AoPyz7E/s1600/California+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQb2jQL5K4R-r1HlGexQfR9RHZePwHPC2yfqm7RaU6R3Qy98ON2OzX99C81GhZAIL7bhu-DQpzGuhE4X1M0mZfvxba_BcXBuisk0g5bbnouSnvzEwN3LaVtZR_cdNFITTlUZq-AoPyz7E/s1600/California+006.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>Palace of Fine Arts</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE73vvDYnYLK_dn2Jvm3WtN-nPsIjIKnuEj3kXVqToswbRX-2zX-BtzJSF6kH0iENYgcHYH4XSxYv3ZcL_BnNSLZ_QWpUyiF9XFueN_4ZSlztHlVN2YyGwUyKYLmJ9NrUC8wgkDDsitq0/s1600/California+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE73vvDYnYLK_dn2Jvm3WtN-nPsIjIKnuEj3kXVqToswbRX-2zX-BtzJSF6kH0iENYgcHYH4XSxYv3ZcL_BnNSLZ_QWpUyiF9XFueN_4ZSlztHlVN2YyGwUyKYLmJ9NrUC8wgkDDsitq0/s1600/California+007.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>San Francisco Neighborhood</i> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezRZKqGLf7m62QrSSjKEJ4b-ceG102zTyqaSB52hmkL0kzY5WY4dVnhe4jtJExk6CKYxfFS0iov67EwQXkQSsWu_XkFNDP_sfkRES2106G402GFKjvX89s9y_JcfOrqMaesCp81c5vsA/s1600/California+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezRZKqGLf7m62QrSSjKEJ4b-ceG102zTyqaSB52hmkL0kzY5WY4dVnhe4jtJExk6CKYxfFS0iov67EwQXkQSsWu_XkFNDP_sfkRES2106G402GFKjvX89s9y_JcfOrqMaesCp81c5vsA/s1600/California+008.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>View from Treasure Island in San Francisco</i></div>
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Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-18792741921790444572014-04-10T19:56:00.000-07:002014-04-12T19:57:29.176-07:00Day 99: Cried Hard During a Movie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IRMTTPU/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00IRMTTPU&linkCode=as2&tag=studio747"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00IRMTTPU&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=studio747" align="right"></a><img src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=studio747&l=as2&o=1&a=B00IRMTTPU" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="12 Years a Slave" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
Cory and I love to watch movies, whether it's going to the theater or renting from Redbox. We usually watch comedies or hero/action movies, but we've been hearing great things about <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IRMTTPU/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00IRMTTPU&linkCode=as2&tag=studio747" target="_blank">12 Years a Slave</a></i>, so Cory decided to rent it.<br />
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That was one of the hardest movies I think I've ever had to watch. If you plan on watching it, get a box of tissues ready. There was a point where I didn't think I could finish it because it was just so heartbreaking. What's even more heartbreaking is that <a href="http://blog.chron.com/thepeacepastor/2014/04/what-can-i-do-about-12-years-a-slave/?cmpid=houtalkshcat" target="_blank">so many of the things that happen in the movie still occur today</a>.<br />
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Director Steve McQueen did a phenomenal job of capturing the emotions of each character and really drawing you into their struggles. Brad Pitt was a producer and also had a cameo role towards the end of the movie. Lupita Nyong'o certainly deserved the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. <br />
</div>Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-1510013955187987852014-04-09T19:15:00.000-07:002014-04-12T19:16:18.820-07:00Day 98: Pleasure Reading In the Middle of the Work Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I read alot of books, but 99% of them are non-fiction and self-help books. I rarely read a fiction book, and pleasure reading during the middle of the work day has never crossed my mind. I do keep to a strict schedule of work...kinda, sorta. I wanted to finish <a href="http://ourfirsts4ayear.blogspot.com/2014/03/day-82-early-to-bed-early-to-rise.html">the book I had blogged about before</a>, and I was itching to find out what happened to one of the characters, so instead of waiting until all my work was done before curling up to relax, I started to read right after I checked email in the morning. <br />
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My Type-A ego kept yelling at me to get back to work. <i>How dare you read a book when there is work to do?!?</i><br />
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I ignored the voice and kept reading. It felt good to rebel...</div>
Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-1716640679348205492014-04-08T19:02:00.000-07:002014-04-12T19:02:48.597-07:00Day 97: Detour to Starbucks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYP1Rzbys2uZa8MGt83HUmADUCpnIwGkBbuUOCuDPE4eJ3BpYObhkpAVX4tGuYgWEB_S9I4JhvyiBP4SrGbzrU-QXUV3mpzcapkrNIyzq8IwMekZ-FfL3Tb1K6nwQV5uI6hYwk7HY35F4/s1600/concepcion-ave.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYP1Rzbys2uZa8MGt83HUmADUCpnIwGkBbuUOCuDPE4eJ3BpYObhkpAVX4tGuYgWEB_S9I4JhvyiBP4SrGbzrU-QXUV3mpzcapkrNIyzq8IwMekZ-FfL3Tb1K6nwQV5uI6hYwk7HY35F4/s320/concepcion-ave.png" /></a></div>When driving to my second office (Starbucks) there are usually 2 routes that I take, and there was construction on the route I chose this day. I had to take a detour, which led me down a road I've never been down before. It almost felt like I was in a whole different neighborhood. Well, technically I was, but it's funny that I've been down the other streets in this area but not this one. <br />
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I really should explore the area where I live more often!<br />
</div>Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-71661006168608437802014-04-07T22:19:00.000-07:002014-04-12T17:20:49.029-07:00Day 96: 12 Hour Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLEmyg_jbs4MLXEBn__Mrx6pqUhNcGmIAkYNu5AcqmOWhoLSYUiJuXom8KaHdlzxnq-JIFOVjYho9Pr8QNN89CN6FSNF_lcBfXUcTQoCPU2YAWmTzr3rAUIUjq_aacVmy0x32PqZQasGk/s1600/buddha-quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLEmyg_jbs4MLXEBn__Mrx6pqUhNcGmIAkYNu5AcqmOWhoLSYUiJuXom8KaHdlzxnq-JIFOVjYho9Pr8QNN89CN6FSNF_lcBfXUcTQoCPU2YAWmTzr3rAUIUjq_aacVmy0x32PqZQasGk/s1600/buddha-quote.jpg" height="640" width="640" alt="Buddha quote about work"/></a></div><a name='more'></a><br />
Monday is generally a full day for me, but this Monday in particular was especially busy with client work. The day started at 9:30 am and didn't end until about 10 pm. I usually take breaks throughout the day, but on this day it was one task after another after another. I probably took a 15 minute break for dinner. <br />
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Funny thing is, though, I wasn't exhausted like I thought I would be. The day flew by because I was so absorbed in these various projects. I think the last time I worked 12 hours straight was when I managed a Wet Seal store, which was back in 2000! <br />
</div>Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-48348339486099564172014-04-06T20:11:00.000-07:002014-04-06T20:12:11.598-07:00Day 95: Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5phNXTZHjg-SGmYWlhiUxYTjAUr6oUrmFaJL8jUezGpxKl5wOMft_LTp9UAqz48LtYmq3-Kmt00iD57PJhJ-AbGYU4UE1euAYv5kBesEn-u_P4pZ72XPWw_-b0P7XNEop8_VqChfiwwo/s1600/chocolate-chip-oreo-cookie.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5phNXTZHjg-SGmYWlhiUxYTjAUr6oUrmFaJL8jUezGpxKl5wOMft_LTp9UAqz48LtYmq3-Kmt00iD57PJhJ-AbGYU4UE1euAYv5kBesEn-u_P4pZ72XPWw_-b0P7XNEop8_VqChfiwwo/s1600/chocolate-chip-oreo-cookie.jpg" alt="Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookie"/></a><br />
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My friend's daughter is thinking about attending culinary school, and I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up being a great baker or chef. She made these chocolate chip cookies with an Oreo inside. I thought it was going to be too sweet for me, but it actually ended up tasting really, really good! She can also make really yummy French macarons as well.<br />
</div>Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-73191306835345190212014-04-06T19:56:00.002-07:002014-04-06T19:56:45.443-07:00Day 94: Projeqt, A Powerpoint Alternative<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">While researching alternatives for Powerpoint to create a slideshow for a client, I came across <a href="http://www.projeqt.com" target="_blank">Projeqt</a>, a web-based app that allows you to create visually dynamic presentations. You can incorporate feeds from various social media accounts into your presentation as well. I just played around with it and created this very, very short presentation...<br />
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<center><iframe src="https://projeqt.com/embed/v2/79982-4ea5eacb13d0035134b18066d866a073/" width="425" height="325" frameborder="0" style="border:1px solid #d3d3d3"></iframe></center></div>Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-23653211759257749192014-04-06T19:40:00.002-07:002014-04-06T19:40:35.446-07:00Day 93: New Camera & Learning Photography Terms<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ba6dUPgWoY8zVc0oAYHswcc8z9XdBSQ_RpgTxqyPzXbXDRnF4bBVYfw-wwnCILz99-ibhKjZA7nPM5VXM3b2WtOIjvOkw9zPOgaAaaa1xLwU6F5G6q23rU-TInarum7QPrCpyjoRPJA/s1600/Fujifilm+Finepix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ba6dUPgWoY8zVc0oAYHswcc8z9XdBSQ_RpgTxqyPzXbXDRnF4bBVYfw-wwnCILz99-ibhKjZA7nPM5VXM3b2WtOIjvOkw9zPOgaAaaa1xLwU6F5G6q23rU-TInarum7QPrCpyjoRPJA/s200/Fujifilm+Finepix.jpg" alt="Fujifilm FinePix S4800"/></a></div>Cory's birthday present arrived - a Fujifilm FinePix S4800 digital camera that has 30x zoom, which is one feature that my current point and shoot Sony camera does not have. Although I would love to have a nice DSLR camera to take more professional photos, the FinePix S4800 does give you a taste of manual control over shutter speed and aperture. I'm still playing around with it and learning all the different features.<br />
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I still have alot to learn about ISO and working with different lighting conditions. I came across this video that explains ISO if you're just starting out in photography...<br />
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<center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/dyJETpvHwIk?rel=0" width="640"></iframe></center></div>Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-2085910504354735482014-04-05T22:52:00.000-07:002014-04-05T22:52:09.431-07:00Day 92: Audi A3 Launch Party<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/unofficialaudiblog/13635377215" title="Audi A3 Party Food by Maria Palma, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7309/13635377215_95f3215d45_z.jpg" width="640" height="640" alt="Audi A3 Party Food"></a><br />
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Audi has been promoting the heck out of the new A3 sedan these past few months. All of the dealerships across the U.S. threw big launch parties, and I attended the party at Audi San Diego. <a href="http://www.audiblog.info/2014/04/audi-san-diegos-a3-launch-party.html" target="_blank">Read all about it on my Audi blog</a>.<br />
</div>Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-70727746367472719372014-04-05T22:42:00.000-07:002014-04-05T22:42:07.965-07:00Day 91: The Getty Center<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/salondemaria/13659342675" title="Getty Gardens by Maria Palma, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3805/13659342675_072e764a3e_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Getty Gardens"></a><br />
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I've been wanting to visit the <a href="http://www.getty.edu/" target="_blank">Getty Museum</a> in L.A. for awhile now. The weather wasn't looking too good in the morning, so we actually had cancelled plans to go up. However, the skies cleared up in the afternoon, so we ended up going after all and arrived about 3pm. The museum closed at 5:30, so we rushed through and tried to see as much as we could. <br />
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Everything from the gardens to the art and sculptures was amazing! I got to see some of the paintings from my favorite artist, Monet. Also, the panoramic views of the city and the ocean were spectacular. Cory and I are definitely going back again hopefully in a couple weeks.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/salondemaria/13659343175" title="Impressionist Art at Getty Museum by Maria Palma, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3726/13659343175_225a565852_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Impressionist Art at Getty Museum"></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/salondemaria/sets/72157643495899573" target="_blank">View more photos from the Getty Museum</a>...<br />
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</div>Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-58205206831279208432014-04-05T21:45:00.002-07:002014-04-05T21:45:29.610-07:00Day 90: Reaching Out to College Friend<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I haven't seen my college friend Judy since she graduated and went off into the world, which was about 14-15 years ago. We had a blast in college. Judy is a free spirit who always had alot of energy and always wanted to be out and about. My most memorable time with her was when we drove up to Humboldt for a couple days and partied our a**es off!<br />
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I found Judy on Facebook and reached out to see if we could meet up since she now lives in L.A. We made plans to see each other, but there were time conflicts so we ended up not being able to connect. <br />
</div>Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-29035779083087628772014-04-01T21:11:00.001-07:002014-04-01T21:30:31.809-07:00Day 89: Madison Gallery, La Jolla<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I've passed this gallery many times when I'm in La Jolla, but this time I was drawn in by the interesting art in the front window (pictured above). I was greeted by one of the dogs by the reception area, but the two women who were there seem to be too preoccupied to even say, "Hello."<br />
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All the art in the gallery was created by <a href="http://www.mattdevineart.com/" target="_blank">Matt Devine</a>. He even created some very interesting sculptures - pieces that would require a huge home to display. There was a butterfly piece that is similar to the art piece in the front window, but I forgot to take a picture of it. You can see more of his art on the <a href="http://www.madisongalleries.com/matt-devine-jeff-kahm-between-the-l-i-n-e-s/" target="_blank">Madison Gallery website</a>.<br />
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It was an absolutely gorgeous day in La Jolla. I just don't think I'll ever leave this Heaven on earth...and if I do, I'm definitely buying a second home here!</div>
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Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-8628951900368191392014-03-30T23:58:00.000-07:002014-03-31T00:01:22.598-07:00Day 88: Working At Night Overlooking the Ocean<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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As I write this, I'm sitting in the Audi A8 at one of the Sunset Cliffs lookout points here in San Diego. I've been here doing some writing and just enjoying the sounds of the ocean. The sunroof is open and the stars are twinkling. I think it's pretty cool that I get a Google Earth view of the ocean and the waves on the car's monitor.<br />
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The homes here overlooking the ocean are absolutely beautiful. I definitely must have one!</div>
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Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-38536457819160993332014-03-30T22:50:00.001-07:002014-03-30T22:50:59.177-07:00Day 87: Arcade Games<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I feel like it's been eons since I've played an arcade game. It might have been in my 20's or even younger.<br />
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My friend's dad and cousin were celebrating their birthdays, and they wanted to go bowling, but Cory and I arrived a little late to the gathering. We all ended up playing pool and arcade games. If I wasn't playing pool, I was playing one of two arcade games: Ms. Pacman and 18 Wheeler.<br />
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It took awhile to get used to playing arcade games again. I'm not usually a germaphobe, but all I could think of was all the people that had touched the knob on the game, so it took a minute for me to really focus on the game.<br />
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However, once I got really into the game, I then started reminiscing about the good ole days playing arcade games whenever we went to Chuck E. Cheese. I remember being so happy when my dad gave me $5 to play games. I thought that was so much money!<br />
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Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-31465450543871428682014-03-29T16:07:00.002-07:002014-03-29T16:09:57.914-07:00Day 86: Lucha Libre Taco Shop<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PIwmNT25FWUsKw35FBW7CqX2tshg_F1_a9a7IRwTytpTu1bpyBcFuk28ub5cGX5iGwNRl7CO2uVone5m5yXTVbSQswY7gJsah4k1w0LOp0L4rGU_qiqDJZO-Kr9ofatU42K0ChJEHn4/s640/blogger-image--411841251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PIwmNT25FWUsKw35FBW7CqX2tshg_F1_a9a7IRwTytpTu1bpyBcFuk28ub5cGX5iGwNRl7CO2uVone5m5yXTVbSQswY7gJsah4k1w0LOp0L4rGU_qiqDJZO-Kr9ofatU42K0ChJEHn4/s320/blogger-image--411841251.jpg" width="240" alt="Lucha Libre Gourmet Taco Shop"/></a></div>I love quirky and creative places, and in a city with a sea of just average taco shops, <a href="http://www.tacosmackdown.com/" target="_blank">Lucha Libre Taco Shop</a> definitely stands out. Everything from the decor to the food is outstanding. I was reminded of that funny movie "Nacho Libre" with Jack Black.<br />
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Cory treated me to lunch here for my birthday, and I'm pretty sure I'll be returning soon. I had the surf & turf taco that consists of shrimp, steak, and avocado. The sauce they put in it is absolutely delicious. I also added a little bit of the spinach dip and mango salsa that I got from the salsa bar. Needless to say it was the most unique and deliciously scrumptious taco I've ever had.<br />
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I thought the labels on the soda fountain were hilarious! There was a picture of raspberries and the rapper/actor Iced T for the raspberry iced tea, of course.<br />
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If you're ever in San Diego, add this place to your list of places to eat!<br />
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<center><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj3O0KU_QATIFtpFCiGBvMcLuiW9ME4l58y0dec1-O3KooZMwHZgORl4fe31nVq_qzHf8otM7_gaHQmuxXPYMV0V3VdBeatGYgMufd3nqUk0ay4TkmP-20v4KM5xsV3qCmJvLfQ4UW-4E/s640/blogger-image-2006190453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj3O0KU_QATIFtpFCiGBvMcLuiW9ME4l58y0dec1-O3KooZMwHZgORl4fe31nVq_qzHf8otM7_gaHQmuxXPYMV0V3VdBeatGYgMufd3nqUk0ay4TkmP-20v4KM5xsV3qCmJvLfQ4UW-4E/s1600/blogger-image-2006190453.jpg" alt="Surf and turf taco combo at Luche Libre Taco Shop"/></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2iWO7dzq1cO-Eu1CgNbqIa8Bz-uHNB1YLvfuq0tjla6rvsWUTBE6d-YrIIIuHQQLbIdl2IGkOjaExvuwwo6J2a28mnLfEk_I7wE0k7uI-jSIPLR3dqok0E8LWkmOi-ZhC9jR0TLUZ8I/s640/blogger-image--162010713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2iWO7dzq1cO-Eu1CgNbqIa8Bz-uHNB1YLvfuq0tjla6rvsWUTBE6d-YrIIIuHQQLbIdl2IGkOjaExvuwwo6J2a28mnLfEk_I7wE0k7uI-jSIPLR3dqok0E8LWkmOi-ZhC9jR0TLUZ8I/s640/blogger-image--162010713.jpg" alt="Funny soda fountain labels"/></a></div></center></div>Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-47743126340883817832014-03-29T15:35:00.001-07:002014-03-29T15:35:31.764-07:00Day 85: The All New Audi A8L TDI<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><center><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QaCRG3bIucMX98UD77pcs28jN0Gm91clIIp6yuwBtBaptbACq57GJaqHqMj54WO4kA-hRyymdNkwzqV9Yq2U_9yjyMufF4vSrlapOggccBTZLJIcJrOQjSe6KZBnT5c310oTJCqfVew/s640/blogger-image--469320088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QaCRG3bIucMX98UD77pcs28jN0Gm91clIIp6yuwBtBaptbACq57GJaqHqMj54WO4kA-hRyymdNkwzqV9Yq2U_9yjyMufF4vSrlapOggccBTZLJIcJrOQjSe6KZBnT5c310oTJCqfVew/s640/blogger-image--469320088.jpg"></a></div></center><br />
For <a href="http://www.audiblog.info" target="_blank">my Audi blog</a> I've test driven the A8L models before, but this is my first time with the TDI diesel version of this model. With all the bells and whistles, it's easily a $100K car, but I would get it only for the massaging seats. I will never doubt that The Universe is conspiring with you because the car came at the perfect time. It was delivered on a day that I was feeling very tense and stressed, so I just drove around and around while the seat gave me a massage. <br />
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What I learned about this TDI model is that it includes a feature that helps conserve fuel and reduces CO2 emissions. When the feature is turned on, the car's ignition will stay on, but the engine will shut off at stop lights; then it will turn back on when the car goes back into motion. I accidentally turned the feature on before I found out what it did, so I started to freak out when the engine kept shutting off! <br />
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It will be interesting to see how many miles I drive before it needs fuel, if at all. I'll have the car until next Friday. Some auto reviewers have been able to get around 700 miles to the tank, but I've been driving mostly streets versus highway averaging about 24 mpg. <br />
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Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-57222064626178021232014-03-29T14:49:00.002-07:002014-03-29T14:49:48.587-07:00Day 84: Early Bookworm Gets the Bird<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="5" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&Operation=GetAdHtml&ID=OneJS&OneJS=1&source=ss&ref=ss_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=studio747&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=B00I5QT1P6&asins=B00I5QT1P6&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&MarketPlace=US" align="right"><br />
</iframe>That may be the weirdest title I ever wrote for a blog post but maybe it will make sense in a minute...<br />
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Cory's aunt Marilyn recently hired me to help her use social media to promote her newly launched books, so in order for me to thoroughly understand what I'm marketing, I started reading one of her books titled, "Chasing Danger". I typically don't read drama-type books, but after chapter 1 I was hooked.<br />
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Marilyn has a way of storytelling that really draws you into each character. You can empathize with their plight and the struggles they go through. I found myself reading for a few hours straight...right into the wee hours of the morning, which is something I haven't done in a long, long time. My body was so tired, but I just couldn't put the book down!<br />
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There were parts of the book that were erotic, and I have to admit it made me feel a bit uncomfortable at first. All I could think was, <i>Wow, that is some serious creative writing!</i><br />
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If you like reading fiction books about urban life or erotica, I recommend checking out <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Marilyn-Mays/e/B00IIUHAT8/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&linkCode=ur2&qid=1396129161&sr=8-1&tag=studio747" target="_blank">Marilyn Mays' books on Amazon</a>.<br />
</div>Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-68526777232258738232014-03-25T23:58:00.000-07:002014-03-26T00:33:16.636-07:00Day 83: Photograph Something New<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEtFJAhBZ5NZXgpBzjgDvukuRUd5MfULV-6wpTLDX4SXf-gvoDEFijak4daYqtAWZpl0qKf1tPN6z3K15PqFLsDliE8pr9Betv5lcWxON7PFcKsENgHNTKTXyqFdE8k4ymaK3SylreaE/s640/blogger-image-1991705190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEtFJAhBZ5NZXgpBzjgDvukuRUd5MfULV-6wpTLDX4SXf-gvoDEFijak4daYqtAWZpl0qKf1tPN6z3K15PqFLsDliE8pr9Betv5lcWxON7PFcKsENgHNTKTXyqFdE8k4ymaK3SylreaE/s1600/blogger-image-1991705190.jpg" /></a></div>
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I've taken alot of photographs over the years. From flowers to food, jewelry to baseballs, and everything in between - it seems that I've covered it all. Whenever I take out the camera, Cory will sometimes roll his eyes because he knows it may end up being a long photo shoot.<br />
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Today I challenged myself to find something I've never photographed before. On my way home from Starbucks, I saw a bottle cap on the ground...</div>
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Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-14515820849260907372014-03-25T23:35:00.000-07:002014-03-26T00:12:17.513-07:00Day 82: Early To Bed, Early To Rise...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsVsRZACbjAW0wC42twKMwOAdg_VQSe_YPFguPu7YCtJdrdSFLQAUgINCDKdu0xl-R6qlqekRCOwAzQGSLEGRXEJ1THd8BmVmGNbxYhYvO5tI2popMDErrNvTv8tIXtO18YroAqQn4Z1c/s1600/sleep.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsVsRZACbjAW0wC42twKMwOAdg_VQSe_YPFguPu7YCtJdrdSFLQAUgINCDKdu0xl-R6qlqekRCOwAzQGSLEGRXEJ1THd8BmVmGNbxYhYvO5tI2popMDErrNvTv8tIXtO18YroAqQn4Z1c/s1600/sleep.jpg" alt="Quote about sleep"/></a><br />
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With only 5.5 hours of sleep the previous night and then running for about a mile, I was pooped out at 7:00 pm. I crawled into bed at around 7:30 pm, which is the earliest I've been to bed since....forever. If you know me, you know that I'm a night owl and I love to sleep in. <br />
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Since I was going to bed early, I figured I would get up early too, so I set my alarm for 5:45 am, which was actually a little too ambitious.<br />
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I ended up waking up around 9:00 pm to go to the bathroom, but couldn't go back to sleep, so I started reading a book. I fell asleep again around midnight - but not before I reset my alarm for 8:30 am. I did wake up at 7:57 am, which is pretty early for me. I meditated for an hour, but fell back asleep again.<br />
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Well, I had good intentions...<br />
Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-62015324116428903862014-03-23T23:02:00.002-07:002014-03-23T23:02:22.765-07:00Day 81: Selling and Publishing Photography Ecourse<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoUnOh6wyEnBtbxK0T54bGqDUdXZ9-vDsv5KmuUfS-twTaN22m4dfLeWp1l8xrAnUtMZdEHFdXMvrvs3sXO3Lc-GKlAbSeNWpuDtxyXTfXgd1QTrTdFKZq2tf6O8DnuYBZK8SW8noAdmE/s1600/lynda-photo-class.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoUnOh6wyEnBtbxK0T54bGqDUdXZ9-vDsv5KmuUfS-twTaN22m4dfLeWp1l8xrAnUtMZdEHFdXMvrvs3sXO3Lc-GKlAbSeNWpuDtxyXTfXgd1QTrTdFKZq2tf6O8DnuYBZK8SW8noAdmE/s320/lynda-photo-class.jpg" /></a></div>I signed up for a week trial of Lynda.com, a site full of online courses. Whatever you want to learn, Lynda probably has a course for you. I want to learn how to create a iPhone app, but I don't have the software that I need to create these apps yet. <br />
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I was browsing through the photography courses and came across one about <a href="http://www.lynda.com/Digital-Photography-tutorials/secretstosellingandpublishingphotography/270-2.html" target="_blank">selling and publishing photography</a>. I haven't gone through the whole 5+ hours of video yet, but so far I've gotten some great tips for editing photos and what types of photos sell on stock photography sites.<br />
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Selling stock photos is one thing I think would be nice to do as a side gig. I don't know if I would make photography a full-blown business, but I always wanted to sell stock photography to sites like Shutterstock. I know that online sites and bloggers like myself are always looking for stock photos. <br />
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I've actually licensed a couple of my photos that people have discovered on my <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/salondemaria/" target="_blank">Flickr account</a>. I only charged $5 for each of those photos, but knowing what I know now through this e-course, I probably could have gotten alot more for those photos! One photo was licensed to the airline company, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, and the other photo was licensed to the company who manufactures the sunroofs for Audi.<br />
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I have thousands of photos sitting on my computer. One of these days I'm going to sort through them and create a professional portfolio - or maybe create my own stock photo site like the teacher of this ecourse did!</div>Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-40088983174976684082014-03-23T20:36:00.003-07:002014-03-23T20:36:34.066-07:00Day 80: No Phone<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTqrjz0dRvcZF2MpcvrtGfY2Mb0G9r-irAD_0KWbsfG6hMD8J1ICRLpJwJUMmsx_bjYyr3oAYPsseHrCnJdew0uo4iQdE7vouIIsc_Vu28bq-sKfVZqJwH-VMhqjW2mGXkTnhqXE8C7o/s1600/startac-phone.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Old Motorola phone from the 90's" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTqrjz0dRvcZF2MpcvrtGfY2Mb0G9r-irAD_0KWbsfG6hMD8J1ICRLpJwJUMmsx_bjYyr3oAYPsseHrCnJdew0uo4iQdE7vouIIsc_Vu28bq-sKfVZqJwH-VMhqjW2mGXkTnhqXE8C7o/s200/startac-phone.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This is what my first cell phone looked like</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>It's amazing how technology has changed so much in the past 20 years. Exactly how did we survive without the Internet and cell phones? <br />
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In the 80's if you wanted to get in touch with someone, you would just keep calling them hoping to catch them at home. In the early 90's people walked around with beepers. Someone would beep you and then you would have to find a pay phone to call them back. We also had answering machines with caller ID devices, which was a big thing because now you knew who was calling and could screen your calls.<a name='more'></a><br />
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Nowadays, it's so much easier to get in touch with someone because everyone walks around with their cell phone glued to their hand. Going without a phone for one day was not as hard as I thought it was going to be. There were a few calls that did come in, but I wasn't itching to check my phone. The challenge came more when I wanted to make an outgoing call. I almost went online to use my Google Voice account, but that would have been cheating. <br />
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When I go on my next vacation, I think I will try going the whole week without a phone. Now that will be a real challenge! </div>Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-23783305521543247142014-03-23T19:53:00.000-07:002014-03-23T19:53:32.923-07:00Day 79: Moody, Funky Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><i>“Sadness gives depth. Happiness gives height. Sadness gives roots. Happiness gives branches. Happiness is like a tree going into the sky, and sadness is like the roots going down into the womb of the earth. Both are needed, and the higher a tree goes, the deeper it goes, simultaneously. The bigger the tree, the bigger will be its roots. In fact, it is always in proportion. That's its balance.” ― Osho</i></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">For a long time now I have worked to maintain a very positive, creative mindset. Thanks to Wayne Dyer I've learned that there is a spiritual solution to every problem, so I always turn within when something is troubling me. My brain is now wired to look at the good in everything and everyone, and I understand that my current "reality" is a reflection of what is going on in my mind.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a name='more'></a><br />
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</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">That said, I woke up today not feeling "right". I did a short meditation, but had a hard time concentrating. I did a little bit of work, but felt like I was just going through the motions. I decided to take a break and fold some laundry, but felt a wave of sadness come over me. Cory had washed the baby clothes that had started to collect dust. The clothes had been hanging up on the wall still on their hangers. I bought the clothes a couple years ago hoping that it would bring me baby dust, and hung them up to help me visualize having a baby. </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Well, after folding the laundry I was still feeling a bit funky. Typically I would refocus my thoughts on more positive things when I start to feel sad, but this time I decided that I was just going to be one with this sadness and let it marinate. I wasn't going to try to deny the feelings. I would just let it be. I didn't cry, but I was a little teary-eyed; even more so when I watched the movie "Titanic" tonight, which was another first for me. I had seen the first 20 minutes before, but never saw the whole thing. I'm probably the only person who had never seen the movie!</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">After the movie I turned to "The Tonight Show", and Jimmy Fallon put a smile back on my face with his monologue. </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I forgot how sadness can make your spirit feel so heavy and put your mind in a downward spiral. I'm so grateful to know that happiness is indeed a choice and that I don't have to wait for circumstances to change to live a happy life. </div>Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-87795205257042615482014-03-20T22:50:00.000-07:002014-03-20T22:50:09.547-07:00Day 78: Baked Chicken With Paprika<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Lately I've been watching alot of Food Channel and learning new dishes to cook or how to spice up regular dishes. Up until recently the only spices I used when cooking was salt and pepper. I'm learning, though, that herbs and spices can make a huge difference in food.<br />
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I have paprika, but the only time I use it is when I cook deviled eggs. Tonight I thought I'd try paprika along with seasoning salt and pepper on baked chicken.<br />
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One thing I learned about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paprika" target="_blank">paprika</a> is that the taste can range from mild to hot, but almost all the plants grown produce the sweet variety. I don't know if I tasted a difference with paprika on the baked chicken I cooked tonight, but it was good.</div>
Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-756525878020104147.post-63379395883236521102014-03-20T21:16:00.001-07:002014-03-20T21:16:50.539-07:00Day 77: Inside the U.S. Grant Hotel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I lived in downtown San Diego for four years and passed the U.S. Grant Hotel so many times on my way to Horton Plaza mall or walking around. The outside of the hotel has a very commanding presence about it. You just know the inside will be luxurious. <br />
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The U.S. Grant hotel is named after President Ulysses S. Grant and first opened its doors in 1910. As you can imagine, it has a very long and interesting history that you can <a href="http://www.usgrant.net/history" target="_blank">read about here</a>. Can you imagine being able to purchase a property of this magnitude for $56,000? Of course that was a great deal of money back then. I would love to go back in time and buy real estate! Nowadays you can expect to pay at least $219-$3,570 per night for a room in this hotel.<br />
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I attended a San Diego Chamber of Commerce mixer which was hosted by the hotel, so I finally was able to see the inside. It did not disappoint. A mix of old and new luxury details created a nostalgic, yet classic and modern interior. The ambience was relaxed despite its prestigious exterior, which was to be expected since it is San Diego.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemcCSKwN9zjbAX4943JQjbAenBVB4D7kzPhqnZZJXc1MmoCDY5tWlcG0ISWRlY4hLkO0J_e41-ccw-yqU8TAdPl01C4-x7g_5JFHsg21P1e63cW5LSOTqGBW374vcJ0F2D6iGHBtpft0/s1600/US+Grant+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemcCSKwN9zjbAX4943JQjbAenBVB4D7kzPhqnZZJXc1MmoCDY5tWlcG0ISWRlY4hLkO0J_e41-ccw-yqU8TAdPl01C4-x7g_5JFHsg21P1e63cW5LSOTqGBW374vcJ0F2D6iGHBtpft0/s1600/US+Grant+006.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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The food at the mixer was absolutely delicious. It was all hors d'oeuvres, plus a gorgeous display of chocolate covered strawberries and cupcakes. I had a glass a wine and half a beer, so I was definitely relaxed, and probably chatted way too much. I did meet quite a few people who were interesting and fun to talk to, plus I met someone who may hire me to do some blogging for his company! All in all it was a good night.</div>
Maria Palmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13312421033720261560noreply@blogger.com1