reflections & ramblings

We received our wedding invitation cards and RSVP cards via UPS yesterday, and they look fantastic! A big thank you to JakPrints in Cleveland, Ohio, for nailing the color management and reproduction. I took a big gamble as a cost-saving measure, and decided not to get a proof sent to me. Choosing easily-reproducable CMYK color does help. But, the big unavoidable variable, looming like a pink elephant in the room, is sending work to a print house one has never before used.

What I completely forgot about, was that we were going to set the response cards to be postcards, instead of plain response cards to be stuffed in their own envelopes. So, if anyone out there has a good suggestion for a supplier of envelopes, pass it on. (I suppose any old stationary store will probably suffice.)

Do I consistently choose a career path that elevates me to rock star status in the minds of others? When I meet new people and tell them what I do, whether being a news photographer, or chef, the reaction is usually the same — (something to the effect of): Oh, how cool is that! What an awesome job! What do I have to do to be a photographer, or a chef?

Internally, I want to tell them, go find something you really are passionate about, because what I do takes nerves of steel, a rock solid work ethic, and an understanding from family and loved one’s that you will be TIRED a lot.

30 minutes till showtime, again. My list of things to do today is about a mile long, again. I think there’s a new chef coming in to ‘observe’, again. Time to go make spicy sun dried tomato pizza crusts.

Maybe I’ll start blogging from the kitchen.

Uncle Mark is visiting from Schenectady, NY. He’s 93 years old, speaks six languages fluently (still), and is a Veteran of WWII. The last story he told before Liz, Alex and I had to go back home for the night was of the battle in Anzo that led him to being honored with his seventh Purple Heart. That’s right, 7. Oh, and a Bronze Star and Medal of Valor also adorn his uniform that he wore to fly out here for Memorial Day weekend. Uncle Mark spent most of his two plus years fighting in WWII on the front lines, as an infantryman. He served as a radio man, and interpreter, under General Patton. Honorably discharged as a Private First Class, his tale of denying the opportunity to become an officer and potentially going on to Korea involves removing his pistol from his holster and motioning to the ranking officer to “… get the fuck outta here.”

Tales of the war are plentiful and never ending. His mind is just as sharp as the day he was drafted. Every story he tells deserves to be heard, over and over again.

Uncle Mark is why we remember today.