corley may is working on it

I've moved!

2010-02-05T15:57:00.001-05:00

Hello, friends!

Just a quick note to let you know that this blog is moving yet again -- I promise, it's the last time for a while. If you're subscribing to this blog via Google Reader or some other aggregator, just change my address to http://www.corleymay.com/blog. Sorry for any inconvenience, and I'll be posting more soon!

Welcome to February!

2010-02-01T13:45:00.003-05:00

Calendar by the wicked-talented Christiane Engel of desertfriends.com She's making a desktop calendar for every month of the year and posting them on her flickr -- which I think is awesome. I'm not talented enough to make my own calendar wallpapers, but I love the illustrators and designers who create them, and I'm always on the lookout for new artists.

So, hello February! It's nice to see you. You're snowy, but you come bearing chocolate and lots of hearts, so I guess you can come in. You've also come knocking with my list of goals from January. Well, I'm ready for you.

My goals were:

-Get back into a blogging / writing / documenting groove. No set number. But let's go for more than once a month, please and thank you. Heck yes I did!

-Register for my NC Real Estate Prelicensing Course. Well, no. But I'm glad I didn't, because my options are blooming all around me and I'm not ready to settle for Real Estate just yet.

-Lose between 5 and 10 pounds by going to the real life big girl gym, eating right, and playing on the mean little Wii Fit. Eating right, check! Wii Fit, half a check! Big girl gym...well, I still have yet to activate my 30 day free trial. But weight loss, check! So I'll take it.

-Walk Rocky more. This one happened, not by choice, but by necessity. Josh is working and back in school, so the Rocky-duties are evening themselves back out.

-Enjoy and learn the heck out of the Spread The Love Workshop in Charlotte. Boy, did I. I learned so much, and saw so many friends, and made so many friends, and even crossed some internet friends over into the real life column. I'd go again tomorrow if I could.

Is that or is that not the best I've done on a goals list in a long time? I'm feeling pretty puffed up and proud right now, I have to tell you.

And as far as February goals go...

-Keep getting healthier!

-Keep blogging!

-Follow through with the Asheville-based social media friends I've found. Meet for coffee! Talk! Help each other!

-Start a regular video feature on my blog

-Figure out our budget at home

-Do our taxes early

-Cook at least two nights a week

-Make up with my paper journal

And that's where I stop. One of my new, improved, stretch it out and make it last goals is to stop loading myself down with silly little things that will only stress me out. Just because something isn't on this list doesn't mean I can't do it. No need to itemize every little thing.

Happy new month! I hope this one's as great for all of you as I know it's going to be for me.

SNOW DAY!

2010-01-31T10:10:00.006-05:00

FIRST OF ALL. It's of the highest importance that you click below to listen to this song. If it doesn't make you happy, I'll be shocked, because it's the most thrilling song I've heard in a long time. The bummer is the only embeddable option is a 30-second clip. BUT. Click here and you'll go to last.fm, who will play you the whole song for free.

Love Of An Orchestra - Noah an...

Now. Snow.

So, if you're a resident of either of the Carolinas, chances are good that you heard about the big winter storm that came through this weekend. The weatherman predicted that snow would start falling at about 3:00 on Friday afternoon, and sure enough, the snow started at 3:00 on the button. By 4:30 the ground was covered and people were driving all crazy. I got home safely by car, and Josh had to stay at work until 8:00 (I KNOW, RIGHT?! Jerks.) and then walk the 3 1/2 miles from downtown Asheville to our apartment.

Rocky LOVES snow. He was so ready for me to put down the camera and take him outside to sniff and hop and eat some ice.

Once Josh made it back safely, we built a fire and hunkered down, hoping like crazy that the power would stay on. (For those of you who may not know, during our last big snow, we lost power and eventually left town when our thermostat bottomed out.) To be safe, I had the heat cranked up and the fridge turned way down, but THANKFULLY, power prevailed. The roads were well enough plowed that we were able to venture out last night to Burgermeisters in West Asheville with a couple of friends. Below are some pictures I got before we left.

My sweet husband clearing off the car like a trooper:

A neighbor's motorcycle left to shiver in the cold:

Snow always makes things seem so much quieter, doesn't it? I loved the sight of these two vehicles, left to sit this one out and let the fancy 4-wheel-drives do the hard work.

And here I am, all bundled up and ready to face the elements in the name of chicken tacos and pickle chips:

I love that yellow coat. Once, when I was wearing it at a bar downtown, a girl told me it made me look like Paddington Bear "in a good way." I'll take that.

1/30 - I want that.

2010-01-30T14:30:00.001-05:00

It's Saturday and we're snowed in, so I've had PLENTY of time to browse the internet, logging an impressive list of Things I Want. I acutally found so many things that I decided it might be fun to start microblogging them -- so, if you're interested in a daily stream of things I find want-worthy, keep an eye on "I want that" over on tumblr. In the mean time, here's a fun list for you.

This first one isn't so much a purchase I want as it is something I want to do -- Adorable DIY valentines from avie designs, pictured below:

I've been on a major silhouette kick lately -- I don't know if it's because I still haven't gotten that cameo tattoo, or because I saw gorgeous silhouette necklace in a shop downtown that I can't get off my mind. Either way, I think silhouettes are gorgeous and elegant -- so when I ran across papercutsbyjoe on etsy, I knew I had to share some of his work with you. These would be beautiful framed as a wedding (or first anniversary, hint hint) gift.

Since Valentine's day is in two weeks, I thought this card was especially appropriate -- and so. cute. I found it at creativelyspun's etsy site.

And if you know me at all, you know I have four favorite things ever: Josh, Rocky, dinosaurs, and SHARKS. So this one was an OBVIOUS choice to be included in my inaugural I want that post. Found on Putmeinthewall's etsy.

I'm not really sure where I could apply that one, exactly...but one day, when I have an office all my own where the walls are mine to hang whatever I want, you'd better believe there will be sharks.

And now, for the final thing on my first I want that post -- to catch up on LOST with my husband before the new season starts and we're ruined by spoilers.

In the meantime -- is there anything you've found recently that's especially wantable? Leave me a link in the comments, or email me at hi(at)corleymay(dot)com. I'd love to see what you've found!

1/27 - Asheville Grown

2010-01-27T15:26:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to stop and write a quick note on how much I am LOVING the February posters for the Asheville Grown campaign. It's basically a grassroots organization of a bunch of local (mostly downtown) Asheville businesses. Their basic goal is to get more money pumping into the locally-owned community of restaraunts, bookstores, shops, and services. It's always inspiring to see a community take matters into its own hands, and Asheville Grown is doing an especially good job of combining real-life marketing (t-shirts, posters in shops) with social media (facebook, twitter, and blog) to get more customers into the small businesses of Asheville.

1/23 - My first vlog

2010-01-23T11:51:00.002-05:00

So, as some of you may have picked up from reading the blog, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WANT TO BE WHEN I GROW UP. Did you notice? Had you heard? I'm a mess. One moment, I want to be a photographer, the next, I'm for sure going to be a wedding planner, the third, I think I might apply to work for the local newspaper, or wait, maybe I'll be a really successful realtor OR hey! maybe I'll just start my own webmagazine for brides. It's like a running joke with myself - no one believes me anymore when I tell them I've decided for real this time.

Anyway. As it is, I do love what I'm doing with my days in the mean time. I work for a privately owned optometrist's office in Asheville called The Eye Center. We're a four person crew (counting the doctor) and we're right in the heart of downtown Asheville, so things are rarely boring.

When I was first hired here, it was as a front desk girl / optical tech. In the months that I've worked here, I've added ENTIRE social media / graphic design team to my job description. I love it. The feeling of bolstering a small business' traffic and clientele during this kind of economy is rewarding like you wouldn't believe. Since I started this web-marketing venture in August, we've added to our communications a monthly newsletter, facebook fan page, twitter, and updated web site. And yesterday, I recorded our first ever vlog.

And wow, you guys, vlogging is awkward, right?! I made the doctor leave -- not the area, not the room, but the entire store. He had to take a walk around the block while I did this. It was rainy outside and everything, but I was THAT embarrassed to be talking into my computer about eye care. But once I got over it, took a few takes, got comfortable, accepted the fact that my hair simply cannot find the oomph to stay fluffy for 90 seconds...it was fine. And we're already getting a great response from our facebook fans.

So let me take a second and be the freelance small business social media advisor (or something like that) that I am. Social media, putting yourself out there (be it in the form of twitter, facebook, or even an awkward video blog) may never feel natural. But it is such a valuable asset to your business. Your customers, clients, patients in our case -- they want to get to know you. To see you being knowledgeable and having fun. They want to feel loyalty to your store and your brand, and the best way to build that loyalty is to put your own face out there and connect.

So in the name of practicing what I preach and biting the bullet -- here it is. My vlog for The Eye Center. And keep watching, because I'm mulling over a few regular vlog installments for my own blog. I've got a feva, and the only prescription is MORE VLOGGING!

The Eye Center - Our First Vlog from The Eye Center on Vimeo.

1/16 - How many cat skeletons do you see?

2010-01-16T11:28:00.000-05:00

photo by The Schultzes (http://lovetheschultzes.com)

Folks, this is Grandaddy. He is a retired fireman, a Rock Hill native, and one of my very favorite men on God's green earth. He was probably joking with my brother about making him pee blood when this picture was taken. That's an actual running joke with him. "Boy, I'll make you pee blood," he says menacingly. It's an old joke. Don't judge.

See the watch on his wrist? As a little girl, I used to sit on his lap for hours fiddling with the links and the clasp, sliding the band off of his wrist and onto mine, running my fingers over the shiny glass face and the brushed metal back, trying to figure out what he learned from this little machine on his arm.

If you've met him, you know he's a character. He has a story for everything, and I don't think he's ever met a stranger.

One of my favorite stories is from his fire-fighting days. You know, firemen used to actually get called to people's houses to get cats down from trees. That didn't only happen in the cartoons. It happened regularly in real life.

One day, a woman's cat ran up a tree. Or telephone pole. I forget which. It was a tall, wooden thing. Distressed, she called the fire department. Mind you, my grandfather once had a rat terrier that he trained to chase and kill cats -- but that was on his own time. On company time, he was a feline hero. So, being the good firemen that they were, they loaded up the truck and drove across town. When they got to the lady's house, she was a mess. She was crying, wailing, lamenting her poor kitty -- certain that he was on the brink of his ultimate demise. My Grandaddy tried the ladder and found that it wasn't tall enough to reach the cat atop his perch in the tree/telephone pole.

"What do you MEAN you can't get to him?!" she cried. "What are you going to DO?! What about poor FLUFFYYYYY?!" (Confession: I don't know the cat's name. I also don't know that this is an exact quote. I like to picture this woman in hysterics, a hand thrown daintily across her forehead, seconds away from the smelling salts.)

"It's not tall enough," he said. "That's all there is to it. Give him time, he'll come down on his own. It'll be ok."

"He CAN'T come down on his own!" she wailed. "He's TRAPPED, he'll DIE!" Here, I like to picture her in full on panic mode, clinging to my stoic grandfather, hyperventilating, searching the pockets of her housecoat for a hard candy.

"Lady," my Grandaddy said. "Look around. Just look."

She looked.

"How many cat skeletons do you see hanging from trees on this street?" he asked. "He'll come down."

There's a lesson here, isn't there? There is for me. This morning, looking over my notes from the Spread The Love workshop, feeling excited and anxious and impatient and indecisive (if my blog had a theme, I think that feeling would be it), I thought of this story. I realized that it's my favorite for a reason -- it is, essentially, a funnier way of saying this: relax. Let go. It's going to be ok. So your cat ran up high -- it'll come back. So you don't know what you want to do, exactly, right this second, for the rest of your life. It's ok. How many people can snap their fingers and have a fine-tuned business in their hands? That's not how it works. If my ladder isn't tall enough today to reach the goals I've set for my future, it's my job to sit back down, do what I can, and wait. There wont' be any Corley's-lifetime-goals skeletons hanging from the trees. They'll get to me when they're ready.

1/1 - It's new. Fresh start. Get to it.

2010-01-02T00:17:00.000-05:00

January? 2010? Are you KIDDING ME?

Listen. I know. I know it's been literally a month since I wrote here. I know I vowed before God and all my blog readers that I had all these goals I was going to fulfill. And then I didn't. And then no one was surprised because I'm not sure I've ever gone down a goals list check check check until they were all completed. Fulfilling those lists is, apparently, just not my style.

But I WANT IT TO BE! I want it to be so badly!

The thing about me and journals is this: we have an old dance. Me and my old journals all know it by heart by now. My old journals start shaking in their boots every time I enter a Barnes & Noble, and here is why: I abandon journals. Often. Way, way too often. I rip out pages or I delete them from the archives or I repurpose them for grocery lists and wayward doodles or I just bury them in plastic containers among the scarves and hats and dust bunnies under my bed. The point is, I can't commit when it comes to journals, paper or digital. I've already got two new journals waiting in the wings to replace the perfectly good journal I've been carrying and neglecting. It's a vicious cycle, and it's not something I'm proud of.

And I want to change so, so badly. And I've wanted to change for years now. And I've never managed to.

Well, the nice thing about new years is that they bring with them a hope and determination that THIS YEAR is THE YEAR. I can do it. I even made myself an inspirational desktop wallpaper (pictured above). I can stick with a journal and I can check off a goals list and I can emerge victorious and sweaty like the karate kid.

And you'd better believe I have a goals list.

IN JANUARY, I hope to
Get back into a blogging / writing / documenting groove. No set number. But let's go for more than once a month, please and thank you.
Register for my NC Real Estate Prelicensing Course.
Lose between 5 and 10 pounds by going to the real life big girl gym, eating right, and playing on the mean little Wii Fit.
Walk Rocky more.
Enjoy and learn the heck out of the Spread The Love Workshop in Charlotte.

IN 2010, I hope to
Add to and edit this list as I learn more about what I actually want.
Get my Real Estate License and sell my first house!
Cut our debt way down to size.
Find a happy balance between things I am interested in and things I can build a career on.
Walk Rocky more.
Go on a real vacation with Josh, just the two of us.
Get back down to the right weight for my body.
Learn to cook (more than spaghetti and breakfast).
Keep learning what it is to be a good wifey for my wonderful husband.

And at the end of the day, all I can do is my best -- but if these are really things that I want to achieve, what's stopping me? Just get it done. That's all there is to it.

12/1 - OK, December. Let's do this.

2009-12-01T18:39:00.005-05:00

I'm ready. You're ready. I've seen you coming, and I've got big plans for you, December. We're going to rock 'till we drop. We're going to get 'er done. You're just a baby month now, but we're going to make something out of you yet!

First, we have to address our holdover goals from November. I managed to pull quite a few over the finish line, but I've got dreams to remember. Those dreams are:

Write in my paper journal at least two times per week.
Start mapping out redesign for corleymay.com.
Change my name at the Social Security office, DMV, and bank
Don't sleep past 8:00 am
Go to the gym at least 3 times per week. This will mean I have to go to the apartment office and get my passpoint card re-activated. Do that. (Now, last month I managed to put a lot of blame on our leasing office for my absence from the gym. Turns out they've been leaving the door unlocked. So, this one's my bad. Gonna fix it.)

New goals are:
Get the non-temporary license plate for my car. This one's less of a goal and more of a law. I'll get on it by Saturday. If I don't have a run-in with a cop before then.
Figure out creative Christmas presents for my family that involve spending little-to-no money (since we HAVE little to no money. HA!)
Blog 4 times per week. Not every day. Not with a photo attached. Just blog. Because I like it.

And that's it! I'm trying NOT to overload my plate, because as it turns out, I'm super busy! In November, I got (with the help from a friend) and completed (today!) my first paid freelance design gig. It. Was. Awesome. And even though I know I'm still in the kiddie pool, I've started working on getting my name out there as a social media/networking/public relations consultant -- for now, I'm helping businesses close to my day job with setting up their own websites, twitters, blogs, facebook fan pages...no real grand slam design work. Instead, I'm helping people figure out how to use the Internet to do what they've been doing all along -- getting the word out about their small businesses. I've really been enjoying myself, and I'm really excited about some of the work on the horizon -- work that promises to combine social media work with graphic design. Work that promises to help me zoom in on what I actually want to go back to school for. I've gotten business cards printed and everything, and I'm even signed up for the Spread The Love business workshop on January 15...so I guess these are my big girl pants. Let's hope they fit!

(ps. The cute calendar wallpaper came from Stylish Correspondance. Check 'em out for paper and design related goodies -- my favorite kind!)

Late November Check In -- Results: I'm BUSY!

2009-11-25T10:59:00.000-05:00

So, today I realized that it's been yet another days-long stretch since my last blog. One of my goals from the beginning has been to blog every day, and I am just falling so short. I need to re-examine and see whether or not these goals are viable for me. Hence, my late-November check in.

My goals for this month were:
Figure out the settings to route this blog to blog.corleymay.com OR redesign blog.corleymay.com to my satisfaction and feed in this blog via RSS. (done)
Research photography workshops for beginners. (done)
Narrow down choices to at least one and no more than three. (I think, thanks to Candice over at The Beautiful Mess, I've found one to register for!)
Take pictures of at least 2 people that aren't Josh and Rocky. They can be at the same time. (nope -- but maybe this weekend)
Write in my paper journal at least two times per week. (nope)
Start mapping out redesign for corleymay.com. (pretty much nope)
Change my name at the Social Security office, DMV, and bank (NOPE!)
Research and pick out my first "real" Canon lens purchase. (Suggestions from photographer friends are greatly appreciated) (Nope)
Don't sleep past 8:00 am (HA!)
Go to the gym at least 3 times per week. This will mean I have to go to the apartment office and get my passpoint card re-activated. Do that. (DOUBLE HA! Although it's not all my fault. The re-activation software is broken at the rental office. I may demand reduced rent. We'll see.)
Go on a date with my husband at least once a week. (Yes!)

So ok, that's not as bad as I thought. And there's still time in the month! With my upcoming days off, I should be able to cross a few more of these off my list. And added to this month were my first official freelance design job completed (a Christmas card for a Charlotte-based web firm), an additional HUGE freelance job in the works, two jobs, business cards, and my own good health. So I guess I'm not doing too poorly for myself. Life is busy and that's how it goes.

11/18 - I KNOW, right?!

2009-11-18T20:41:00.000-05:00

So I fell off the blogging train. I fell hard.

Sorry, guys! Sorry, blog! Sorry, self!

To try and make up for my lapse, I've got a post chock full of goodies straight from Nancy Ray and Elizabeth Ligon. A few Saturdays ago, we drove our new car down to Raleigh to be a part of their Portrait Party (SO MUCH FUN!!!!). Today, I was thrilled to see a big, fluffy envelope addressed to "Corley, Josh, and Rocky" from Nancy. I was so thrilled with how they came out, I had to blog a few to show you guys.

Just so you guys know, Josh is tall. I am not tall. So when I want to whisper in his ear, kiss his cheek, or see him eye-to-eye, I always end up on my tippy top toes. But he has to slouch to get to me, so I guess it's an even deal. At least I don't end up with sore neck.

The cabin Nancy and Elizabeth set up was AMAZING. Gorgeous inside, gorgeous outside, candles burning, Christmas music playing. They really set the mood well.

I loved the colors they captured, too. Every picture came out so smooth and rich and old-timey looking (if that makes sense). Almost like a photo out of an Holga camera.

Smooching my husband is never, ever, ever a hard thing to do. EVER.

Josh hates having his picture taken, but he was such a good sport for me. I loved trying to flirt with him and make him laugh for the camera.

And, of course, a blog just isn't a blog without a picture of Rocky.

Nancy and Elizabeth were seriously incredible. We had such a good time, and we felt so comfortable with them immediately. If you're looking for a photographer for a portrait, wedding, engagement shoot, Christmas Card, or just a fun anytime session, I'd recommend either of these two in a heartbeat. Just click either of their names anywhere in this blog to be linked to their websites and find out more info. And ladies, thank you so much! Thanks to you, I know our first Christmas cards will be just perfect.

11/9 - My boys

2009-11-09T21:48:00.000-05:00

I know, I know. Less Josh, less Rocky, more other people. Well, sue me. My boys are cute.

Josh and Rocky have been going to puppy school on Mondays. Today was Rocky's second class, and he learned to "lay down." He's also learning to be a heartbreaker. Just ask his school girlfriend, Pearl the Standard Poodle. Or his apartment girlfriend, Kaya the Great Dane (Rocky likes bigger women). I guess we should have seen it coming when we brought home such a handsome puppy.

So I've been messing around with the blog, trying to figure out whose platform I like the best, which design I can best tweak while I'm still the one designing...basically, how can I make my blog look so good and run so smooth that I can't help but be a blogging machine?! I went ahead and set up corleyblog.com to route straight to my blogger for now, but it's time for a bigger decision. Do I stick with blogger and design the best I can, or do I go with a paid option, like Squarespace (monthly) or ProPhoto (lump sum)? And when am I going to decide what I want to DO do? Do I want to throw myself in to taking pictures and getting good at it? Would I rather pursue graphic design and immerse myself in art and my computer? Is the thing I love the most planning weddings and helping brides?

It's easy to get overwhelmed and impatient, but all I can do is work at this the best I can. The thing that I'm supposed to do the best will come to me eventually. Out of the blue. Like a dream or a vision or a bug flying right into your mouth and down your throat so you can't get rid of it. I'll find it.

One day at a time! Right? Right.

11/6 - She's a sicky.

2009-11-06T22:28:00.000-05:00

Ugh. I feel like a caricature of a girl with a cold. I sneeze constantly, and they actually sound like "ahh--ahh---ahh--AHCHOOOO!" I sniffle. I cough. My eyes are all puffy. My lips are chapped from breathing exclusively out of my mouth for the past two days.

This must end soon.

No pictures. I don't want you to see me like this.

Back soon with more zest. For now, sleep and self-pity.

11/4 - Do you love this city or do you LOVE THIS CITY??

2009-11-04T19:19:00.000-05:00

Seriously. Asheville.

What can I say? If I sit in my wonderful job downtown and watch the sun shine all day long and the worst I have to deal with is feeling a little sick, dealing with a few grumpy people, and having the sun in my eyes, I've got it pretty good. And THEN I get to drive home facing this sunset?

Are you kidding me?

Life is beautiful.

Now, if only my husband would get here to nurse me back to health, I would officially have nothing to complain about. Until he comes home, I'm going to catch up on Ghost Hunters, cut pictures out of my favorite magazines, and maybe even do a little creative writing. That is, if I still know how.

PS-- For a sweet treat, head over to Nancy Ray's blog and check out the Portrait Party sneak peek. You'll get to see Josh and me perched on the hood of my new car (also pictured above).

11/3 - November Goals

2009-11-03T11:47:00.001-05:00

November is here and I'm excited about it! November means the start of delicious holiday food, lots of family time, Christmas lights everywhere, and best of all -- November means it's now socially acceptable to listen to Christmas music (which I listen to in the privacy of my own car/earbuds all year long).

In light of the fact that I am terribly prone to overloading myself with lofty goals and expectations (only to feel glum and disappointed when they don't work out), I've made a list of feasible November goals. Like so many of the bloggers I follow, I'm hoping that by putting these goals out here for the world to see, I'll be held accountable. Because these goals are a part of a life and career that I really want to see start -- one step at a time.

Figure out the settings to route this blog to blog.corleymay.com OR redesign blog.corleymay.com to my satisfaction and feed in this blog via RSS.
Research photography workshops for beginners. Narrow down choices to at least one and no more than three.
Take pictures of at least 2 people that aren't Josh and Rocky. They can be at the same time.
Write in my paper journal at least two times per week.
Start mapping out redesign for corleymay.com.
Change my name at the Social Security office, DMV, and bank
Research and pick out my first "real" Canon lens purchase. (Suggestions from photographer friends are greatly appreciated)
Don't sleep past 8:00 am
Go to the gym at least 3 times per week. This will mean I have to go to the apartment office and get my passpoint card re-activated. Do that.
Go on a date with my husband at least once a week.

And speaking of that last one, we're going out TONIGHT to see Ingrid Michaelson in concert. I'm wicked excited, despite the fact that I forgot about it until he texted me mere minutes ago. Of course, pictures will abound.

11/2 - Fresh month, Fresh start, FRESH CAR!!

2009-11-02T09:34:00.000-05:00

Heck yes we did. We drove my beat up little Jetta into the Hyundai dealership, we demanded a good trade, we demanded a low monthly payment, we demanded the big bad fail proof warranty, we haggled and haggled and haggled and haggled, and we left with a new (to us) 2008 Hyundai Tucson. Now, I just need to get better at pronouncing the name. This picture was snapped this morning by my iPhone, but don't worry -- the fabulous and talented Nancy Ray captured its true beauty at her portrait party on Saturday -- SO MUCH FUN! Rocky was as mischievous as ever, and Josh still hates having his picture taken, but they both managed to suck it up to make me happy. I can't wait to see how they turned out -- if you want one of our first Christmas cards, just leave me a comment or email me at corley.may(at)gmail.com.

I've started working my second (weekend) job at Mountain Java in Candler, and while I'm loving staying busy and making money, I've been neglecting my already neglected goals for blogging, writing, and photographing. I'm going to have to find a balance somewhere. Part of the challenge is going to be forcing myself to accept the fact that I simply cannot do everything all at once. There's no way. But I can work steadily to better fulfill my goals, and that's what I'm going to focus on. Starting tonight with a new, revised, achievable goal list. Until then, enjoy this beautiful day! I'm going to do my best to :)

10/29 - It's Been A While, Yeah?

2009-10-29T23:23:00.000-04:00

Oh, blog. Blooooggggyyyyy bloggy blog blog. This resolution has not worked out as well as I'd hoped. Add that to my list of November goals. Be better at this.

Asheville is BEAUTIFUL and I'm so grateful every day that I get to live here. The skyline, the mountains, watching the fog burn off every morning - ah. Just gorgeous. So much beauty, so many colors, so much to be inspired by.

I'm SO EXCITED about this weekend. This week, I trained for my second job on top of working extra hours at The Eye Center, so a couple days to myself will be a welcome break. Tomorrow I get an early day, so Josh and I are going car browsing and Halloween costume shopping. We have two very different ideas, so the outcome will all depend on what we scavenge at the thrift stores.

And then Saturday is the Portrait Party (for more info, see Nancy Ray's Blog), then an evening of fun with the in-laws. In costume, of course.

I'm super excited about Saturday, especially, because I get to deliver Natalie's wedding notebook and start helping her with her wedding details! The future is still so up in the air (and I guess it will be forever, since it's the future and all), but I know I want to be involved in the joy and celebration and planning and details that go into weddings, so the fact that I get to be involved in both the picture-taking and the detail-making of such a special wedding is a real blessing. And an inspiration to get off my patootie and start seriously pursuing a better understanding of wedding photography! More on that in the November goals post. For now, some rest, some snuggles. I'll be better at this as I go.

10/24 - Birthday Eve

2009-10-24T22:47:00.000-04:00

We took Josh to the Cottonwood Brewery today -- for $5.00 you get 5 6oz. samples of Cottonwood and Carolina Blonde beers, as well as a great atmosphere (complete with polka band!). So maybe we did get tipsy in the middle of the afternoon. So what? He's the birthday boy, birthday boy and best friend love Cottonwood, Cottonwood's got a brewery nearby, boom. Birthday Eve.

PS. The Panthers cake was DELICIOUS. We're going to the game tomorrow.

10/23 - Commence Birthday Weekend

2009-10-23T23:35:00.000-04:00

In case you ever wondered whether I know how to rock a birthday...

...now you know.

Tomorrow, breakfast with family and then the Cottonwood Brewery with our besties, Tyler and Natalie. THEN dinner. THEN the UFC match on pay-per-view. SEE ALSO the best day ever.

10/22 - I Love This City

2009-10-22T15:57:00.000-04:00

Just a quick photo of the beautiful leaves and the beautiful sky in beautiful Asheville - snapped by my iPhone on the way to the parking lot after work.

10/21 - The Snugglin' Duo

2009-10-21T23:13:00.000-04:00

Tonight, I watched Glee and Ghost Hunters flanked by two very sleepy guys. I guess there's just something about a fire that makes you want to doze.

OH and don't worry because I definitely caught my nap between 6:00 and 8:00. See also I'll be up all night.

They were just so cute, I had to get their pictures.

I hope they don't feel embarrassed!

10/20 - A Doozy

2009-10-20T23:51:00.000-04:00

So, the deal is that Josh and I used to have a working truck and a working Jetta. Now we have a broken truck that needs a new engine and a broken Jetta that needs a new catalytic converter and a bunch of other stuff. Oh and the seat rolls around all willy nilly now instead of locking into place. So it needs a seat locker-inner now, too.

What I'm saying is there will probably be at least one new car addition to our car family soon. I hope.

Anyway, today was not one of the fun ones. To top off the non-fun, the mechanic implied that I wouldn't want to drink coffee because I'm pregnant. Which I'm not. But I do have a complex now, which is sort of like carrying around an extra person, right?

I am excited about the books I treated myself to at our impulse run to Barnes and Noble. I got two books of writing exercises -- one is more personal experience, memoir-based, and one is full of pictures and prompts to start writing off of. It's funny, but for a creative writing major, I NEVER really write anymore. I'm hoping to manage 15 minutes a day writing off of these exercises, just to get into practice again.

10/19 - Mid-October goals

2009-10-20T00:07:00.000-04:00

Where did this day go?!

I'm noticing an alarming trend. I've started napping. All the time. For hours at a time. And then, when I wake up, my day is gone and I'm wide awake when I should be getting ready for bed.

So I've decided to set some goals. We'll say they're for the rest of Ocotber.

1. STOP NAPPING. Seriously. Naps are a time-succubus and I have to put a stop to them. This may mean spending less time wrapped warmly in my Snuggie. So be it.
2. Stop sleeping so late on my days off. Get up, drink coffee, read a book, start my day. "I get up early almost every morning," comments my smug husband. So, goal: start getting up with him.
3. EXERCISE. Seriously. Our apartment complex includes 24-hour access to a gym. Use it. Often. Three times a week, let's say.
4. Start cultivating a more healthy lifestyle in general. Less candy and Doritos, more vegetables and grilled chicken. Start cooking at home instead of stopping while I'm out.
5. Start writing again -- buy a book of writing exercises from Barnes & Noble and write for 15 minutes each day, just for me.

So, there we go. I've fallen into a nap-filled, junk food-fueled rut and I hope these goals will help me break out of it.

10/18 - My Guidelines

2009-10-18T22:55:00.000-04:00

OK. If I'm not well rested after this weekend, I'll never be well rested.

I slept until NOON today. NOON. It's been weeks and weeks since I've done that. And then? I was up for maybe three hours before taking another two hour nap. While I was awake, I relaxed and ate unhealthy football food (Gordo's, Tortilla chips, too much Halloween candy). We built our first fire! Who knew that there was a flue in the chimney, and if you don't open it, your apartment will get all smoked out?

Probably everyone. Did everyone know that but me? I'll bet you did.

I spent some time today thinking about what I want from this blog. Originally, I wanted to post a picture a day to document my life as a young married so-and-so. But I've found myself missing posts because I didn't have a picture I wanted to put up, and that's silly. Worse, I've found myself snapping completely uninspired pictures of completely uninspiring things just to have something to put on here. And that's silly, too. So I'm rethinking the blog.

I still want to post every day, but whether I have a picture or not isn't going to be the deciding factor on whether I blog. Having something worth remembering, and wanting to write it down. That's what matters.

10/17 - Lazy Saturday

2009-10-18T00:11:00.001-04:00

Rocky's always stealing my laptop to take facebook pictures of himself. Vain little scamp.

Today was a perfect lazy Saturday. We slept in (I slept in. Josh was wide awake and doing homework when I woke up. I slept so late, I missed the hot coffee. It was cold already when I came into the den). We went to see WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, which was AWESOME. Except for now I keep howling at Josh to show affection, and I think he's maybe weirded out . We went to Mountain Java for coffee. We came home and watched Grey Gardens. I had a nap. Today was unremarkable and perfect, and I love those days.

10/15 - Mountain Java

2009-10-15T17:51:00.001-04:00

All week, I've been trying to think of a time when I might be able to sneak away to Mountain Java with a book, my journal, and my laptop and get in some time reading, writing, and running errands on the internet. And now, at long last, I'm finally HERE. It's a little bit of a drive from our apartment, and there's a Starbucks that's closer, but I like it here.

I drove around a little before coming here -- through downtown Asheville and over into gorgeous Montford, where I finally found the Riverside Cemetery (something I've wanted to do since we moved here. In July.) -- I would have gotten out to walk around, but I felt a little creeped out ("Really?" you're asking. "In a cemetery? Strange!"), so I just drove through and headed this way. Some sunny, non-creepy day though -- just wait. For now, I'm going to enjoy sipping some coffee and getting some work done. As soon as I snipe the power outlet table from the lady across from me who's leaving.

10/14 - Chilly and Dreary

2009-10-14T21:25:00.000-04:00

Today was a little rough. In that neverending, will I ever get home sort of way. And on my way home, I got the worst shock I've had in my 24 years. I looked down at my hands while I was driving, and my engagement ring. was. gone.

WHAT?

I pulled into the nearest parking lot in a frenzy, and I know I said words that were unbecoming of a lady. I thought I might puke. Or pass out. Or both. I jumped out of my car, tore into my book bag, Threw my laptop into the backseat. Emptied out all the Sharpie pens and felt tip markers. Ran through the conversation I would have with Josh in my head.

And then I found it. Can we talk relief? I could breathe again. Suddenly my tough day was an AWESOME day because I had my engagement ring and what else matters? I'm home now and Rocky has a rawhide and Josh is on his way and everything is all right.

10/13 - Downtown Asheville

2009-10-13T19:46:00.001-04:00

We finally got what they called on the radio a "sunshine sandwich with rain for bread" today, so Josh and I harnessed Rocky up and took him out for a day on the town. And let me tell you, Asheville brought it today. Rocky didn't do too bad, either!

We're both really loving life in Asheville. What's not to love? Historic architecture, gorgeous mountains, and downtown downtown downtown.

Love this wall on Lexington Avenue:

The Basilica and, in the background, Battery Park Apartments. Both buildings were featured on my SPOOKY birthday ghost tour.

I'm always making Josh model for me. "Babe, go stand against that wall and look at me, okay?" He doesn't much like having his picture taken, but because he's my husband and he loves me, he manages to be a pretty good sport.

These signs were posted all over downtown Asheville and the Montford district.

"Josh, go stand against those blue doors and look at me."

Our sweet puppy:

Wall Street -- one of my favorites. It feels like cars shouldn't even be allowed to drive on Wall Street.

We caught a late lunch and a couple of beers at dog-friendly Carmel's in the Grove Arcade and strolled through Montford, but by the end of the afternoon, we were pooped. Plum tuckered. Of course, after all that walking, we had to come home, watch Anchorman, and crash on our couch for an hour or two. We're big nappers. Napping is our thing. We do it well and do it often. Right before we fell asleep, Josh said "I love Tuesdays." And I love making the most of my free time with him -- so today was pretty much perfect.

10/12 - Short and Sweet

2009-10-12T22:26:00.000-04:00

A lot of my day today was spent in wonder at how lucky I am. I am so in love with my husband - I hope I never lose that thrilled feeling I get to come through the front door and straight into his arms. I'm not even going to type any more. I'm going to go jump into his arms. But know that this feeling is one that everyone should have somewhere in their lives at some time. It's the best. He's the best. Mushy mushy mushy mushy mush.

10/11 - Tim and Kelsey are MARRIED!

2009-10-11T21:37:00.000-04:00

So Josh and I spent our weekend partying hardy with our nearest and dearest in celebration of Tim and Kelsey's wedding. We had so much fun -- I'm so lucky that my husband came with such a great network of friends.

Our beach house:

Our stormy view the day of the wedding:

The handsome groom and his fellas:

Handsome Tim:

Kelsey made such a beautiful bride! In lieu of a toast, her little brother rewrote the lyrice to "Free Fallin'" to pertain to Tim and Kelsey. It was SUCH a sweet gesture, and by the time he finished, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. It was definitely a special moment.

We were so happy to be there to share in the joy of Tim and Kelsey's marriage. She was a stunning bride, and they are such a sweet couple. Aren't weddings just the best?

Congrats, Seiberts! Enjoy Mexico :)

10/10 - The Blog of Shame

2009-10-10T12:16:00.000-04:00

I think we all saw it coming. I started with such a fire, and I started slacking. The day was bound to come. The day...I didn't blog.

To be fair, I spent most of yesterday in a car only to be whisked straight away to a rehearsal dinner/party for our friends Tim and Kelsey, who are getting married in TWO HOURS!

To make things worse, I took to the yard today and got some great pictures of the thunderstorm that's rolling in, our beach house, the bay...but the internet connection here doesn't seem to want to yield me more than one photo upload, so I'm forced to choose. Here is Tim's bike. He rode over for some soccer-tennis before he had to get ready, and I just thought his bike looked so sweet leaning against the tree -- it seems to say that we never have to grow up all the way, all at once. Not even if we're getting married today. I'm bringing my camera tonight and I WILL have fun documenting and remembering. For now, enjoy:

10/8 - Snapshot

2009-10-08T22:46:00.000-04:00

Oh, blog. I feel like I owe you so much better. Here I had all these grand Birthday Resolutions, and I'm falling short two days in a row. But never fear. This weekend promises to deliver. Josh and I are headed tomorrow morning to Virginia Beach, VA for the wedding of a couple friends, and hopefully dancing, scenery, and madness will ensue. Which should mean some fun pictures -- which WILL mean fun pictures!

For tonight, we're crashing in Charlotte, NC.

Good night!

10/7 - Josh

2009-10-07T23:01:00.001-04:00

Today was a hard day, and I'm honestly pretty glad to see it go. Josh came home and when I told him I hadn't blogged today, he said "There's still time. Take a picture of me eating almonds." so I did. I'm sorry for being lackluster--I'll really bring it this weekend.

10/6 - Downtown Asheville

2009-10-06T21:09:00.000-04:00

Today was a day off -- I slept in, ate cereal, got my NC license (withOUT failing the test even ONCE, thank you!), hung out with my honey, and then took a walk through downtown tonight. I only had my point and shoot, and it was getting dark, so the pictures came out blurry but OH I love this town.

Below: sign in the window of Malaprop's.

10/5 - Monday night with my Husband

2009-10-05T21:49:00.000-04:00

So part of what's so awesome about my 24th year is that it's my first year as a married lady! On July 25, 2009, I married the smartest, handsomest, nicest, talented-est, best man in the world. And I get to kiss him whenever I want, and I get to live with him, and I get to help him answer tough questions like "Was that a commercial for pistachios? Isn't that a nut? Why is there a commercial for a type of nut? Who pays for that?" He is the reason my life is so, so good and if I could take his picture and look at his face and do just that all day every day, I'd probably stay pretty happy.

Josh has an iPhone. He likes bejeweled, fantasy football, and texting his friends. About fantasy football.

He thinks his feet are gross, and he loves me even though I don't have pinkie toenails.

And he is really, truly, absolutely the smartest guy I know.

In conclusion. If this were a notebook, I'd have put white out all over the front cover and then written in Sharpie letters "CORLEY + JOSH = LOVE." But this is a blog of pictures from the days of my life, so I'm plastering today with pictures of the man I love. Life with him is so good.

10/4 - Lazy Sunday

2009-10-04T20:52:00.003-04:00

Oooh, today was a lazy Sunday at its finest. We tried out a new church this morning (we'll probably keep looking - but when is the first pair of shoes you try on ever a perfect fit?), then we came home and I spent most of the afternoon sleeping off a stomachache. Rocky lazed around with me, and Josh was busy in the kitchen cooking FOOTBALL FOOD. We had bacon-wrapped weinies (weenies?), chili, and I even special ordered a grilled cheese. The photos aren't interesting, but we're happy and rested, so I'll take it.

So here's Rocky relaxing on the porch. He loves being outside and watching what goes on in the courtyard.

10/3 - Arboretum

2009-10-03T19:43:00.000-04:00

Today was GORGEOUS, so Josh and I decided to take Rocky for a walk around the arboretum. It was perfect outside - warm, sunny, colorful - and Rocky got to charm all the walkers and bikers on the trails. Josh and I were starving by the time we were through, and Rocky was too tired to finish the trail (it's hard being a puppy, guys), but we had such a great time. I had forgotten how much I love Asheville in the autumn. We're all refreshed now after a late lunch, a nap, and some Twilight-watching. I had two favorite pictures from the day, so I'm going to do myself one better and post both.

Above: Josh and Rocky had to stop for a pep talk. Below: those gorgeous fall leaves

Tomorrow we're trying out a new church and then eating FOOTBALL FOOD (It's all Josh has talked about today). Hopefully I'll be out of my food coma in time to blog before midnight, although we're making something called "bacon wrapped weinies," so...we'll see.

10/2 - First Friday

2009-10-03T00:00:00.000-04:00

Tonight was First Friday at the Grove Arcade -- a monthly party with a band and food and drinks and lots of local merchants. Jessika and I worked the door and got to see some of the wonderful (and, of course, some of the less than wonderful) residents and patrons of downtown. It was a blast.

Also, I have BLUE EYES today! I got some colored contacts from work and they actually show up on my dark brown eyes. It's a trip to see something like that, something that's been the same since the day you were born, change so quickly.

So today's picture (just under the wire) is my wristband for the party. Off to tomorrrow!

10/1 - Gryffin

2009-10-01T15:00:00.000-04:00

I love, love, love the gryffins that guard the Grove Arcade, where I work. They're just so majestic and gothic -- which can really be said about the whole building. Since I've started working there, I've really come to appreciate the community of small, privately owned businesses who make up the Arcade. They all seem to want to help each other out however possible, and there's something really refreshing about knowing that, even in the world of business, someone's watching your back.

This guy, though. This guy watches ALL of our backs. Doesn't he look smarmy? And so regal.

More info on the Grove Arcade can be found here -- and from yesterday's post, I'd like to provide a link to Petfinder and to the Asheville Humane Society, where we found Rocky. If you're in a place where pet-adopting is a possibility, I'd definitely recommend checking out your local humane society.

9/30 - Rocky the Dog

2009-09-30T18:34:00.000-04:00

Since Rocky was technically my birthday present, I figured he would be a good start to my Birthday resolution. And look at that face.

Birthday Resolution

2009-09-30T15:22:00.000-04:00

So, I turned 24 yesterday. Today, and for the rest of the year, I'll be busy living the life of a 24-year-old newlywed with a puppy and a tiny apartment and a job that I love in downtown Asheville. I'll be living a life that is uniquely mine, a life that no one else can have or experience. The only way they'll know what it's like to be me is if I can somehow capture it, describe it, let them know.

So I've made a birthday resolution. I'm inspired by Nancy Ray (of Nancy Ray Photography) who had the idea to blog, rain or shine, for 100 days straight. I've griped and chided myself and whined about how I never blog anymore, how I don't even know where to begin. Well, now I know. I have a point and shoot camera and an entire world, and I'm going to show you what it looks like. The first picture should go up tonight -- and I'm really excited to get to it!

A dream is a wish your heart makes

2009-07-12T13:35:00.001-04:00

(Pictured: My grandparents on their wedding day)

I was driving to Rock Hill yesterday for my dress fitting and a few other whirlwind meetings, and I called my mom to hash out some details while I was on the road. As we were talking, she told me she had dreamed about finding her mother, my Grandmother Daisy's cake topper (we'd talked early on in the planning stages about how special that might be, but nobody knows where to find it). In her dream, it was way in the back of a kitchen cabinet, and as I joked with her about how she might end up finding it there since our dreams often show us things we couldn't see awake, I remembered. I had a dream about my Grandmother Daisy. And it was, in a word, magical.

Some backstory: I lost my Grandmother Daisy when I was just 14 months old, but I feel as though I have known her my whole life. She left me letters and a scrapbook telling me all about her favorite things to do and see and read, and about how much she loved me. She kept me at her house while my parents worked, and in her letters she would say things about how much fun we had together, what we had done that day, and most of all, how much she absolutely loved hanging out with rolly polly drooly hungry infant me. There have been many days in my life where my mom, aunt, and I have looked at one another and wished she could have been with us physically -- but we've always known that she is here with us, watching over us and letting us know what she thinks of what's going on. Each of us has dreamed about her many times, and each time, we feel that she is absolutely telling us something. We always get the message.

Since Josh and I got engaged, I've known two things for sure about our wedding: it will be covered in daisies, and she will be there. And with this dream, she was confirming the second fact for me. She will be.

I called myself to record the dream (I couldn't write it down, I was driving!). Here's the transcript of what I dreamed:

"I dreamed last night about my grandmother, my Grandmother Daisy, who comes to see us in our dreams sometimes. She makes sure that we know that she's still with us. And, in my dream, I was at my wedding, and we were all gathered around and everybody was so happy, and she was there. And it wasn't like she had been there my whole life, it wasn't like what it would be like if Grandmother Daisy had never passed away, but it was like she'd been gone for a long time and she came back for this. And she was wearing a purple dress and she had on her daisy corsage, and she looked so pretty. And I was so happy, and I couldn't stop touching her, I couldn't stop grabbing her arm, and she couldn't stop touching me, either. It was like we were finally getting to know each other, and we were so happy about it. It was just the most wonderful feeling to know that she was there and that she knew me, and that she loved me.

So I really want to remember this one. I really want to remember this dream because it was just so happy. We were all so joyful that she was there with us, and she was so happy to see all of us, and I think it was her telling me that she's going to be there. That she'll be there and she'll be so happy.

Um, and Ididn't even remember that I'd had it or that I'd felt that way until my mom mentioned her dream. She said that I should write it down and I'm in the car and I can't write it down, so this is what I'm doing. And it was just the best dream. And I'm just so glad that I had her for the short time that I did, and that I still have her."

I guess the moral is that the ones we love never really leave us. We may not be able to see them or touch them except for in our dreams, but they are with us when we are awake just like they are when we are sleeping. Even when we are getting married. I am so lucky to have had her remind me of that.

Full to the brim

2009-07-10T11:47:00.000-04:00

So it turns out starting a brand new bitty baby business based blog, learning your camera, checking out equipment upgrades, learning graphic design, moving, working 40 hours a week and planning a wedding -- all at the same time -- is nearly to completely impossible. Oops.

I've always been a girl who bites off more than she can chew. I just get so INSPIRED by all the people who I meet, interact with, or even just read about. All the people who are out there living the life, making their own dreams come true. I want to be one of you! I want to do that! And I want to do it NOW!

But you guys, I'm planning the most beautiful wedding. And it just so happens that I get to get married at that wedding. To the best man I've ever met -- to a man who makes me marvel at what good thing I could have possibly done to deserve him. A man who is learning the bolero for me! I'm loving every minute of this, the planning and choosing and dreaming and, yes, even stressing. And yet I'm still drawn to so many other projects, and stressed (sometimes even discouraged) by the fact that I simply don't have time for all of them right now.

So how do you figure it out? How can I possibly choose what I want to do, when I know I want to design, photograph, sing, act, and possibly be a wedding planner? Is there a mold out there for me? And will I ever be able to fit that mold and sustain a living for myself and my brand new husband in our brand new life?

It's like when I make coffee. I always, always, always fill the cup up to the brim with coffee and 1/2 a Splenda and a little bit of half and half -- as though if I don't get every drop I can now, the pot will be empty when I come back for more. Which is silly. I end up either spilling coffee all over myself (or my desk) OR my coffee gets cold before I can drink it all. Which is a pity, because there's a nice coffee pot waiting downstairs specifically to keep my coffee warm until I'm ready to come back for more.

This is a silly analogy, I guess, but my world is full to the brim with beautiful sights, new ideas, wonderful people, and opportunity. But the truth is I am getting married in 15 days and that is all my cup can hold right now. I want to to document the fitness frenzy, beauty regimen, design process, and general craziness that is bound to be my life for the next two weeks and one day. I'm getting married. This is as joyful and excited and 5 year old on Christmas Eve I have felt in a long time. I'm going to savor it. The rest, the back to school and the photography equipment and the design and the planning and the business building and the clients...all that will still be warm when I get back. And isn't that nice to know?

Wedding Shower!

2009-06-07T23:36:00.001-04:00

I just got back from a whirlwind day and a half in Rock Hill and Charlotte. My first wedding shower was today, thrown by some dear friends of Josh's parents at Providence Road Church of Christ. It was so much fun -- I'm not sure what else I thought a party thrown for the sake of giving us presents might have been OTHER than fun, but it was a relief to get there and see so many friendly faces (and a delight to see so many presents!).

Josh's Aunt Karen grabbed the camera to document the party, and when I was looking through the pictures, I realized something: My mom and I are often making the exact same face at the exact same time. Some examples include:

Surprised face!

Fascinated face!

And happy as a clam face:

Today was perfect. Mrs. Garrett, Mrs. Walker, Mrs. Gross, and Mrs. Jefferson, if you're reading this, THANK YOU!