A brief commercial break

I promise that I'll blog about Inauguration. Many people have asked about it and why I haven't done it yet, and my only excuse is that I've been incredibly busy. So busy that it feels like we've planned for 2009 and it has already past. Have you ever had that feeling? You plan so much for the upcoming year that January is suddenly over and you feel panic to get it all done. Yes, that is the feeling.

However, I'd like to take a break before I create the Inauguration-blogs (with pics, dear web friends), to talk about last weekend. On Friday, Anna facebooked me to let me know that her and her amazing guitar playin hubby would be in Hampton, VA. I quickly flew to Google Maps to realize that it was only 3 hours away. I am the queen of the roadtrip... I love them SO much and haven't had one in forever.

Those who don't know Anna probably need to understand her awesomeness. I knew Anna and Justin at K-State through Christian Challenge. We all knew what was going on in each others' lives, but were never super close. When I moved to Nashville for summer 2007, I was able to hang out a lot with her. I love her.. I think she is incredible.

That said, I happily raced out of the District to see my friends. Justin is playing for an up-and-coming Country sensation Whitney Duncan. She is so sweet and has an amazing voice. As a singer/songwriter, she rocks out and really cares about her band, how everyone is doing, how it sounds, and all the aspects of being in the business. She has an EP out on iTunes now, and her full album releases in April. Check it out, people... I HIGHLY recommend it.

So, Anna and I saw the show, caught up a bit, hung out with the band, and went out to eat with everyone. It was so much fun to see all of them, but especially to catch up with Anna. Apparently, I missed the fun on the bus afterward, but I was sooooo tired and had to drive home. The only bummer of the whole thing was that I forgot my camera. Anna and I have nothing but our blogs to document the visit.

Thanks Anna and Justin!! I had a blast. Everyone, check out Whitney on iTunes or WhitneyDuncan.com!!!!

Coming soon

Hey all! I promise that I'll post soon about the Inauguration weekend. It has been insane and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all. Luckily, we have a 3 day work week and can take the weekend to recover. So, more info/pics/amazing inauguration coverage coming soon!

Inauguration Craziness

When I moved to DC in May, I knew that Jan 20,2008 would be a momentous occasion. Little did I know that it would be the social event of the year. I'm incredibly fortunate to spend the weekend here in the nation's capitol (even though, at times, I'd rather be on a plane to visit people far away from the insanity).

Let's just say that celebrities are out in full force. A coworker of mine talked with Sarah Jessica Parker at the "Betrayed" play premiere at the Kennedy Center. George Clooney has been spotted in Georgetown. And, to top it all off, there is a MASSIVE free concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, featuring Beyonce, Will.I.Am, and many others (U2 is even rumored to play as well).

So, in my attempt to document history, I'll be updating as much as I possibly can. You can also follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/amylizmartin) to see where I am. Here's my schedule thus far:

Tonight: Friend's party in Eastern Market/ Capitol Hill area
Saturday: "day off" from Inauguration activities, but I'll probably do a photo shoot day around the Mall.
Sunday: Lincoln Memorial Concert
Monday: Texas State Society's Inaugural Ball (Denzel Washington and Marcia Cross from Desparate Housewives may be there. I'm not sure of their connection to TX, but who knows!)
Tuesday: Seats for the Swearing In and Parade.

Happy Inauguration weekend, everyone!

I fought the DC DMV....and I won!

For those of you who are unaware, the District's government bureaucracy is a bit intense. You would assume that the nation's capitol would function a bit more efficiently, but there is an unending stream of paperwork to do anything in this town. I encountered it when I first moved here and had to hassle with getting a parking permit for my moving pod. It has gone downhill from there.

Since that time, I've received at least 3 parking tickets and have had to pay a lot of money to fix them. The fourth happened on the day of our Awards Dinner as I was picking up photos for the exhibit that evening. It was d-day and I found my car on a towing truck because I parked it in an area I shouldn't have. I was so incredibly lucky to get it off the tow truck, only to be handed a $100 ticket. This was when I discovered a loophole:

If DC DMV doesn't post your ticked on their Web site within 20 days of issuing the citation, it is void.

Yes, you heard me correctly : v-o-i-d. And, 20 days after the fact, I checked the Web site to find the ticket was not posted. Ultimate vindication came today as I hestiantly checked the Web site one more time to see the message "This ticket is null and void."

How I love that phrase :)

New Years Resolutions

I'd love to say that I make - and keep - all New Years resolutions. I've had the resolution to stop picking at my fingers for at least 6 years now. it never worked. One year, I decided that I would give up coffee... everyone begged me to grab Starbucks on my way to work. The only resolution that has ever worked was to go at least one new place each year. I've done that the past 2 years in a row.

I'm not a superstitious person. Being born on a Friday the 13th kind of makes you that way. You forget paranoia and somewhat throw caution to the wind. When it comes to making promises on Jan 1, I tend to forego the tradition. I believe that if I really need to make a change in my life, I need to do it on a day that doesn't already almost qualify it for failure (I read a statistic that says 78% of those who make resolutions break the promise in the first month).

What I realized today was not the need for a fleeting resolution, but the desire for a lasting change. There are two areas in my life that really need some work, some TLC. The first is to let things roll off my back and not take things personal. Nothing really triggered this realization, but it has been a common theme woven through my life. I'd like to fix that.

The second is that I'd like to release my inner creativity more than I do. Over the past few months, I've been caught up in the 9-5 life that I've had little time to write, work on photography, and explore. I also want to stop taking crappy pictures and start learning the trade, along with the photoshop that follows. I have the tools, I just need the know how. So, I'm going to start taking a picture every day of the things I see in my life, and hopefully those pics will tell a story of a woman who wants to express a bit more. Who knows, maybe it will lead to the IKEA desk I've had my eye on for years :)