LOMO!.

Here's the photos from my first foray into Lomography. I had some issues with film rewinding, so some turned out oddly. But that's okay...they're Lomo, right?

My friend Erin and I.

One of those that got messed up. Notice the two fisheye circles?

And another.

Just woken up. I love this one.

JD and Hauns, guys I work with.

My brother, Reed.

My friend Allie and I. Notice the light squigglies on her face and shoulders--Multiple Exposure.

Allie and I.

Allie.

Messed up. But still cool.

Another.

Lookin' so tough.

Inside of my lense cap.

Beautiful scenescapes of Manchester, TN.

Well, there you go. Enjoy.

A Product Review (My First).

To start. I'm gonna send a shout out to my girl Carolyn and her blog. Carolyn is my sister Marlena's best friend and recently moved here. Her blog, unlike mine, has some coherence and a main theme: Motherhood. She apparently checks up on this blog here and is one of my (approximate) 4 readers, which is nice of her to humor me. Hi, Carolyn!

In other news, I got a Lomography Fisheye 2 (notice the TRIPLE LINK ACTION!) camera last Thursday. It's only the most fun thing ever. Lomography is all about taking fun photos and not being serious. Because in all seriousness, who needs seriousness?

This camera is capable of multiple exposures, and has a setting that will keep the shutter open longer for night shots. In addition to the built in flash, I also bought the colorsplash flash which can flash not only white light, but 12(!!!) different colors. Also, the Fisheye 2 is a film camera (I can honestly almost hear you thinking "Film? What is this, 1998?"). But film is cool to me...it feels simpler and more fun with film in the "Digital Era."

There is little doubt that some of you are thinking that this camera is not only unimpressive but a complete waste of effort, time, and money. That's okay. I'm already used to confused looks and questions of "Why?" from any number of persons. Just last night my brother Wade called it "just a little novelty thing," which clearly leads me to believe that not only does he not get it but he doesn't even like the idea of it. But if you're feeling in the dark about the whole thing check the About Section of the Lomography website. There you'll find that it's seriously all about capturing how fun and simple life is.

The film is being developed right now, so I won't have any photos up from my maiden photo-taking voyage until, at the earliest, Wednesday. But hopefully I will get to the point of posting, with regularity, my fisheye photos.

Now that I've officially plugged the crap out of that camera (maybe I'll get a check from Lomography?) I'm gonna go ahead and check out.

I just realized how many links there are in this post. That's kind of impressive. Or a bit ridiculous.

Christmas in August?.

This weekend I bought the Sufjan Stevens Christmas CD, Songs for Christmas.

Buy it now. It will complete your life. I've listened to it so much the past few days. And I love it.

"My Soul Has Never Had this Feeling and it Feels Like Gold."

Wow.

It's been forever since I posted. I can't believe that I used to update daily. That's absurd; I never have any time any more.

Last week I went to Virginia and saw CHELSEA DODD. It was the best trip I have ever taken in my life. It was so fun. Looking back, we did nothing truly extraordinary, just a lot of hanging out, but it was so real and so pure and so fun. And life is all about fun.

It was my first time on an aeroplane. I lovelovelove riding on a plane. It's mega fun. I got to fly FIRST CLASS into and out of Atlanta. First Class is niiiiiiiiice.

We spent a couple days in Richmond, near Virginia Commonwealth University. I love that town. So old and so city-like. Everyone there rides bikes. It was three in the morning, and there people were, riding down the road on their bikes. Three seems too late to me. Not in Richmond though.

In Richmond we stayed with Stephen, Chelsea's sister Katie's boyfriend. I'll give you a second to make sense of that previous sentence. Katie and Stephen are so radical. Stephen and I got along super well, and there were so many times that he had me weak with laughter. He reminds me a lot of my brother Reed, it's sort of nuts.

Chels and I went to the beach. I love the ocean. I love the little crabs that will pop out of the sand and look at you funny and if you make any sudden movements, they scoot real quick. I like seagulls because they are so awkward looking. I like seeing dolphins because dolphins are seriously radical. I like little kids in the ocean because they are overwhelmed by fun and surf. The sounds are soft and the air is nice.

The ocean at night is vastly different than the daytime version, and a brand of beauty and magic all its own. It is dark, but I have never felt so bright and happy. I like having my big feet in the cool water and feeling the foam and the sand. Being at the beach was very probably the best day of my life.

We went to Busch Gardens and I rode SO MANY ROLLERCOASTERS. Roller coasters feel like flying. And they are huge and terrifying. I love riding them so much. I always, always say a secret prayer on the bigger ones that we will not die. My prayers were answered that day.

There is a place in Williamsburg called Sno to GO and it is just like Jerry's. I felt like home.

Chelsea's family is so great. Her dad was so cool. He was not frightening like so many dads are. He was easy to talk to and easy to like. Her mom is, I'm pretty sure, my mom in some random body. Obviously, I liked her. It all made sense being there.

I like Chelsea so much. She gets me and I, her. We laugh a lot and joke on each other a lot. It was so great being with her. It feels like being home is the vacation and my real life is in Virginia.

I love that place. I am unsatisfied with this place.

* * * * *

In other news entirely, I am done with my mission papers and will see the Stake President Wednesday. They will then go to Salt Lake and I'll get a call. Absolute Craziness.

Reed Michael Garrett, mi primo favorito, leaves for school on Wednesday.

Everything is ending. It feels right, though, for the first time. Weird.

I'm going Skydiving on Saturday(!) and I might see Cartel on Saturday. Woohoo.