End of an Era!

I am kinda shedding a symbolic tear over the end of this blog!

We have been through some good and bad but mostly awesome times together!

I will keep this blog up because I want to be able to remember. Remember things I shared about my personal life but also my photography life...which to be honest, are meshed and mushed together into one big heap of love. Which is exactly what I want it to be!

So now it's time to share with all of you the new link to the new blog. Like I said, the new website is still in the works! I will apologize in advance still for my lack of posting during that time.

But here it is!  

www.blog.loriwongphotography.com

There is still some tweaking, so bear with me, but I hope you like it! Take a look around, check out the new features. All that good stuff. And please leave a comment (on the new blog, of course) or email me what you think!

Much aloha!
Lori

MIA

Alright...I know I said I was going to post pictures of Disneyland, but I have a really awesome excuse as to why they are not up yet.

I am putting some final touches on my new...wait for it...BLOG!! Wooohooo!!

And along with the new blog will be a new website!! Sorry that the website has been down for anyone who has been wondering! But the blog will be up before the website. Lets just say the perfectionist in me is rearing it's ugly head! haha!

I am extremely excited about all the changes and new look! I will also be sharing some exciting news in the beginning of the new year as well.

I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving! I know I was able to remember yet again how extremely blessed I am and how much I am loved by my amazing family and friends.

Blessed. Loved. Happy.

I am an extremely blessed girl.

I forget how blessed I really am sometimes, probably more often than I care to admit to. Somehow though, I get snapped back into forgetting what I don't have and want to finding peace and gratitude for what I have and need.

I don't speak a whole lot about my personal life on this blog. I do share my cute nieces, or things I like to do here and there, but when I struggle, I usually don't publicly look for solace. I find my different outlets to get past my struggles, but they are far from being public. Most of the time it's internal and I eventually find ways to see the upside, find lessons in my trials and become that blessed girl I was all along.

Usually every year for probably the past 3-4 years I've tried to come up with a theme for the year. Things that I have learned from the previous year usually lead me to the theme for the following year. Most of the time, I don't have my theme until maybe the end of February beginning of March. This year, I've been stuck. I have had the hardest time figuring out what I needed to remember to keep striving for. What my focus needed to be this year. Finally, I realized about two months ago that I've had my theme for a while, I just didn't admit to it.

Love.

Not like the "oooh, I'm so in love with you" love, or the "I just loooove your shoes" kind of love. I'm talking about unconditional. I forgot how important it is to love unconditionally. To just care about someone because they need it, and maybe even want it, but more importantly deserve it. This doesn't even have to be love. This is about giving without receiving. Caring without motives....I hope I am making sense here. It's about being kind, unconditionally.

This has been easy in some ways and hard for me in others to follow. I have realized while trying to remember to give unconditionally how much I can put a side my loved ones to try and give to those that don't know me from that one person who went out of their way to hold the door open for me because they saw my hands were full.

The other day I was standing in line to get a movie ticket and this woman turned around and said "hey, I have an extra coupon to get a discount on your movie ticket, do you want it?" She had no need to do that, I didn't know her, she didn't know me. She was just being nice. I had my own coupon, so we said thank you anyway. Where as I would have saved that extra coupon for another time I'd go to the movies, she was willing to give it up for nothing in return.

It's about trying to see outside of myself to see how I can reach out to help others in spite of my quick judgments, my fear of rejection, my time, and so many other things. And more than anything doing those things daily, without thought, but just to do them because I should. I have been lucky to be reminded constantly by the examples of the loving and caring people around me how much more I need to work to be like them.

I think I will be working on this for a lot longer than this year. I'm sure I will make it a sub theme for some time after this year. I am happy because I know how blessed I am. How loved I am. How much I know that even though I can be grouchy or complain that I am able to find my way back to the kindness, care and love BECAUSE I am given those things daily, hourly, in minutes and seconds even when not deserved. Which means, I need to give it back in return with that same gratitude and unconditional love.

2009 Catch up.

I have a TON of blog posts from photo shoots done in 2009, which I know...is sooooo last year. But I wanted to still share them with everyone. So be prepared for some posting left and right!

Sideways...

Up and down....

Loopy loos...



Okay. I'm stopping. :)


Every post needs a photo...here you go! It was a beautiful sky, so I ran outside and took a quick picture.

p.s. this was done hand held, no tripod...boooyah! :)

Disneyland...just because.

I went to Disneyland, for the day, a while back...here are a few shots, nothing special. :)
It's a real tragedy, but I can't ride the tea pots. They make my motion sickness gland (hehe) rage out of control. But they looked pretty at night, all still and motionless! hahaha!One of my favorite Mickey faces is the one on the actual lollipop, not on the tag. I'm pretty sure it's because I give that face all the time.That's me, in front, a classic Disneyland shot, at night.

I'm sure you never noticed...

...that I haven't posted anything since, uh...whoa...JULY 11th?!?!

Wow.

Sorry.

I could go on with excuse after excuse. And really they are extremely valid. They include, going back to school, keeping up with post work (aaaand not so much with posting it) and taking about two months to move from one place to another (that was not fun, believe me)!

Anyway, (confession, I always want to put 'anyhoodle' because one of my favorite bloggers says it all the time and when she does it sounds cute and fun. But when I type it, I don't see myself actually saying it out loud so then I erase it and type 'anyway' instead)

...here are some pictures of my fun lil' day trip I took to Huntington Beach back in April with one of my friends, Jackie.

We left Vegas around 6:30am. Ate breakfast, sat on the beach and people watched (okay, I slept on the beach, but what I thought was only maybe an hour was..well, not. an. hour. But I got a lovely tan from it, eventually), walked around the pier and HB, had Chick-fil-A, and got back to Vegas around midnight. It was a LOT of fun and don't ask me why, but liberating. Oh wait, I remember why! I was on a jury for 4 days at the county court house and what was suppose to be a spur of the moment trip was post pone because of that jury duty.

Here are some pictures:
It was a tad cold in April...and no we were not the only ones wearing jackets, everyone else was too! But as you can see the beach was pretty empty.

A delicious Huntington Beach breakfast:


And just a few pictures I took as we walked around:




I really do have a lot of catching up to do. Please be on me if you are not seeing updates a lot more regularly! :)

**edit: I don't know what is up with the font on this post. sorry! I can't seem to fix it!**

Music (woot!): Eric Hutchinson

So I remember seeing Eric Hutchinson somewhere on iTunes a while back and thinking,"pretty cool song" and then didn't pay attention to it anymore. I was going to download it, I think it was even free, but I just didn't. I wish I would have paid attention sooner. This guy is pretty sweet.

This is the video you probably saw on iTunes.


But I was really sold after watching this video (sorry, I only got a link to the video) for the song "OK, It's Alright With Me"

(you can click on the image too)

Sorry!!

Thanks to a lil' harsh but loving email...I guess I set my permissions on who could read my blog wrong. I don't know what happen!!

My bad!!!

But as you can see, I haven't updated it because...well...I've had some major computer and internet problems. I'm still having some computer problems...but I did finally fix my internet today! Sigh of partial relief.

I'm so sorry to all of my clients and thank you, THANK YOU for your patience with me!

And since a blog post isn't interesting without a picture:


My niece Jordan...her little curls are so cute. In Texas, walking around downtown near the River Walk.

You're Hawaiian?!

Yes.

Yes, I am.

And to prove it (which really isn't proof whatsoever, but go with me here), I have been on a Hawaiian music kick lately.

For the past two days I've been listening to:

(sorry for the small size, I couldn't find anything bigger)

iTunes Link

I love this album. It reminds me of my childhood, when we did stuff as a family or especially when my dad had it blaring on the stereo while he played the guitar. It was also one of the first live albums I listen to. I realized because of that I judge the recording quality and flow of live albums to this one a lot.

You all might know one member of the Makaha Sons of Niihau...

Israel Kamakawiwo`ole (mostly known as Iz or Brudda Izzy)



He is best known for "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World"...I found it for you to listen to. He has such an amazing, calming and peaceful voice.



I hope it makes your day better. It does for me whenever I listen to it, or any Hawaiian music for that matter.

Dear Winter: Sorry, but I'm Falling in love with Spring.

Today is GORGEOUS!!!

I hope that you were all able to enjoy at least some of this day. I sat out on my balcony for a little while to breathe in some of the beginnings of spring. I hope that I can get off the photo editing train soon and get out side to enjoy the sweet slight breeze and cozy warm sun!!

New Moon...a Twilight moment.

I wonder if Robert Pattinson feels a lil' like a piece of meat with this puppy. Here is a movie poster for the new movie:

(I'm not complaining, I'm just saying! hahaha!)

Did anyone else watch the Harry Potter marathons on tv all last week?! When I watched the Goblet of Fire I was thinking, "oh twilight boy, when you made this movie you have no idea what is in store for your future!!"


I'm going through my ba-jillion pictures from Texas. More posts to come soon! :)

One in the a.m. snack!

Yum...peanut butter.
I have ruined my sleeping schedule and have become a night owl again. So while I am working on photos really late at night, every once in a while I get the munchies. Usually I cure it by just going to bed, but not this time. I took one bite and I had to share how much I was loving my late night snack!

It's really the simple things that make me the happiest!


(and can I also mention that I was taking it back and listening to stuff I use to have on cassette tape back in the day but found it on cd/iTunes...I forgot how much I love SWV. hahaha!)

All you can do is smile...

...when you are sick on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Eve morning I woke up to a scratchy throat, runny nose and pounding headache. I still had presents to wrap, bags to pack, and things here and there to do. What's a girl to do in the mist of all that (and getting a cold on top of it) to feel better? Take some pictures. But of what? Um...I guess myself.

Please don't judge me in all my non-make-up glory! ;)

I hope everyone had a great Christmas!!

Green.

In my apartment complex there are a couple of motorcycles that park in the same lot as where I park. Well, one day, this baby showed up. I thought it was only around for a day, visiting someone else, but it is actually a permanent fixture in the parking lot.

I have always enjoyed green, but this is just hot.

(I STILL haven't seen who drives it, hopefully the driver takes after the motorcycle, haha)

Phase 10 anyone?

I knew I had a lot of games, but last night when I went to grab Catch Phrase for a little after dinner fun, I didn't realize how many I had. I have kept them over at my parent's house because it's mostly likely something we will do on a Sunday after dinner...but geez, I got a lot! :)



One of my favorites...Trivial Pursuit SNL edition! I still have my Mall Madness game that was given to me when I was probably 12. I loooved that game! I saw a new edition down the toy aisle a few months ago and was happy for little girls that will be able to play it for hours and hours like I did.

Yeah, I'm blogging about him too...so what?

Yada. Yada. Michael. Phelps. Yada. Yada. I feel like two weeks of Olympic bliss was not enough. I only missed one qualifying race from all the Olympic coverage they had. And believe me I was mad at myself for it. Darn tired eyes gave out on me that fateful night! ;P


Well guess what amazing news I just discovered....

Oprah, Monday, September 8th (with a BUNCH of other Olympians).

Phelps will also be dropping by The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Monday night too.

AND THEN...dude:
The season premiere of Saturday Night Live, hosted by Michael Phelps, will air on Sept 13. @ 11:30PM ET/PT on NBC.

What?!!? Michael Phelps as a comedic bone? Doubtful, but hopeful. Aaand still planning on watching it! :)

USA Men's Basketball Commerical

Marvin Gaye + USA Men's Basketball Team=Awesome commercial



By the way, the gold medal game was SO good. Did anyone else watch it too?

Catch Up!

Wow. It's been a while. Busy! Busy! This is just a bunch of stuff I've been meaning to blog about but haven't had the time. Totally random but here we go...

The Olympics
They are over now and I just don't know what else to watch on TV. BUT I can catch up on the sleep I lost from watching live sporting events! Sheesh! I was surprised by some of sports that I've never heard of before, or didn't realized it was an Olympic sport:

Equestrian. I guess there are different events within the sport but what I saw was basically horses dancing to music, it's call dressage. I happened upon it and was mesmerized by what was going on with man, horse and music. Crazy.

And the other sport that I didn't realized was an Olympic event was speed walking! I had NO clue that it was a sport. And that you can be booted from the competition if you don't have the right techniques because you could almost be running. I kid you not, I ended up watching the race for about an hour. I was just in awe! I had no idea.

The Gym
I realized the other day in the middle of my run on the elliptical machine that I didn't match what so ever. The worst part. I didn't even care. I'm at the gym! I'm sweaty and red in the face (most likely). If you are impressed by any of that, I'm sure you won't notice my lack of gym fashion sense.

Technology and such...
If you are like me, your bookmarks are out of control and not organized in any sort of way, and even though your list is a mile long, you know the websites you check out most are on that long ol' list...or you finally put them on your tool bar. Well, one day I just randomly decided to be proactive and organize my bookmarks. It lasted about oooh...7 minutes and I gave up. And then wish that I hadn't messed with them at all because now I have to get use to the new way I have it. Until I get the gumption to try and organize it again.

My iTunes/iPod needed to be updated badly. I had purchased new music and the only way to listen to it was to listen the cds in my car only because it wasn't on my iPod. I had about 5 to-go-lists that I had to sync and combine, move around and delete because I was so behind. I have finally updated, and all it right in the world again with my music.

My iPhone is another story...I haven't synced it in ages and well, it's been syncing for over an hour now. So my advice is to sync now and sync often.


I'm a bad i[blank] owner, basically it was it comes down to.


For about a week my wireless mouse was acting up. I was getting pretty frustrated. I changed the batteries. I would turn it off when I was not using it as recommended and such. Well my rolly ball scroller was NOT working. It would go up, but it would not go down. You don't realize how much you use things, until you can't use them anymore. Well my friend Kates (as I call her) to the rescue. On her advice, I took the batteries out, turned it upside down, and rolled the scroller up, down, left and right, all over a white piece of paper and blaaDOW! The gunk was out and it's working again.




More posts to follow...sorry, I've just been so busy and have had a LOT going on!

Breaking...my rules!

So I broke a few of my own rules and one of them was giving in to the hype! Not the hype of the goodness that is the Twilight series...no. Giving in to a friend that convinced me to go to a midnight release of the 4th (and my understanding last) book in the series.



The book release party was not what I expected, not in a good or bad way, but in a, I probably could have gone at 10am the next morning and been just as satisfied sort of way, since I lost a good amount of sleep and was up just about 20 hours straight that day. But I am deep into the book and really enjoying it. I love when I read something that interests me so much that I want to finish it as quickly as possible. And on the same note be bummed when it is finished.

Hope you are all enjoying it too. Or did enjoy it. I'm sure if you are reading my blog, most of you are done with it by now! hahaha! ;)

(oh and the 215...that was my wrist band for my place in line at the release party, whoa! haha)

Good Times...Good Friends. The gang.

So the lovely Natali brought together the "old gang". And though that could refer to our the fact that we are older now...we are going to actually reference it to the fact that this is the group of dear friends I hung out with back in the day in the Redrock Ward.



It was such a great time! Here are just some pictures.
If you can figure out what movie Andrea is holding in her hand (picture below), we are meant to be BFFs...when I was picking this picture I looked at it and automatically knew what movie it was. I thought it was proof of what a nerd I am. :) hahaha.

I loved Bethany laughing in this picture. It made me laugh because you can just tell she is cracking up!




This is Andrea's debut as a hand model. If you would like to book her for any hand modeling, please contact me! :P


We played a little: and the pictures of that are hilarious. I will post more later of that fun! :)