I have fallen into a new addiction over the last several mornings. Now my day isn't complete without my pre-work fix. About a week ago, I woke up early and turned on the TV for some news, and landed on Headline News Network... and their show Morning Express, anchored by this woman:



Robin Meade. Sorry Rachael Ray, but you have been supplanted. I have a new TV girlfriend. Now, there are a million and one really really ridiculously good looking women out there, but for some reason, Robin Meade stands above the crowd. It's a heady blend of attitude and sass balanced with professionalism. It's the dark hair. It's the mischievous little twinkle to her personality... and for God's sake, it's that she's built like a brick house, man! She ain't no skinny minnie; there's some serious substance to her frame. I just want to take a big ol' juicy bite out of those curves of hers like a turkey leg at the Renaissance Festival.

¡Aye chihuahua!

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*whew!* Ok, back to sanity. Anyway, a friend of Bossman's (and fellow professional photographer) was visiting the studio yesterday, and I asked him to sit as a test subject while I was setting up lights for some yearbook sessions coming in. In the process, I took this portrait:



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I spent Saturday night shooting bands at the B, and hanging out with Dark Haired Girl. A couple of weekends ago, she moved to a house at the far end of her parents' farm, and now she lives about a half an hour's drive away instead of five minutes. This has created an interesting new dynamic, as access to one another isn't so ready. I think it kind of keeps things regulated, and keeps us from slipping into the "sleepover effect".

You know, like when you'd have marathon sleepovers with your friends as kids, and by the third day together, you'd want to rip each others' heads off?

Anyway, saturday was a date night of sorts. I was "on the job" with Bossman's generous donation of his gear for me to use, but it was also a great night spent NOT MOVING ANYBODY'S HOUSEHOLD together.



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I got a student loan collection letter from Citi yesterday, the same company that just accepted billions of dollars of government bailout and then announced that it's going to proceed with a $400 million deal for naming rights over the Mets' new stadium. So I'm going to write them a reply:

Dear Citi,

The government just handed you billions on a sterling platter, and you're proceeding to flush hundreds of millions down the toilet to slap your name on a sports building. I just lost my career, and without a luxurious golden parachute from the government. I will pay you when I can, which isn't now.

In the mean time, as a taxpayer, you can take my percentage from the federal handout you just received and apply it to my loan principle.

Sincerely,
Andrew R. Hutchinson

I'm still here...

... it's just that since I moved my computer to Bossman's office, and he hasn't had work for me since that last post, I really haven't had a whole lot going on. Both Dark Haired Girl and Blonde Haired Girl have moved, so I've moved three households in as many weeks, and I'm SICK OF MOVING. :-)

I've befriended the owners of a recently opened mom 'n pop coffee house, and they would like some prints for their walls, as well as post cards to sell, so that's a chance to get my name out a bit. That, and I'm going to pitch my services to a new manufacturing business that's just finishing construction of their new facility.

I've filed for unemployment. They're begging me to come back to Tim Hortons, but I really want to try to stay a photographer. Once you've held (even if ever so briefly) a well-paying professional career position, it's a truly dismaying thought to go back to being a fast food cashier. But I'm just being a snob. Take away the camera, and I'm just your average unskilled hillbilly with a screwed up back.

So... things are pretty much back to where they were pre-Cleveland, save that my old apartment complex is charging me exorbitant fees for breaking the lease early, and they claim that is hasn't re-rented. I'm going to have somebody call to inquire and see if it really is available or not.

Back to my roots

So I've been back in Troy for just about a week now, and Bossman has wasted no time in putting me to work. I didn't realize just how uncomfortable I was at the old studio until I came here and could speak freely, hang out in my jeans and sneakers, and just settle in and get the job done. That last place was run less like an outlet for the creative arts, and more like a fine jewelry boutique. Very stifling. I can breathe now.

Shaggy came up with his dad's Sonoma and helped me get all my stuff in one trip, which was a great relief. The very last thing I did was to cast my ballot downtown before hitting I-71 south and putting Cleveland, Ohio in my rear view for the last time.



Goodbye dear Cleveland. I'll miss ya, baby!