Sunday, June 28, 2009

New Wedding Pics

Here are some of the photos I took for my friend's wedding reception:


It was at a family home, so there wasn't a variety of backgrounds, but I think the results turned out pretty nicely, eh?

Thursday, June 25, 2009

This One's For You, Brian!

So over the weekend I had a family reunion and I mentioned a scientific study I had read a while ago, on the 5-second rule, to my cuz Brian. I couldn't remember the results, so he wanted me to let him know what I figured out. He said, and I quote, "You should blog about it. Because you would." It appears he was correct. This one's for you!

High school senior Jillian Clarke conducted a scientific study during a six week internship at the food science and nutrition department of the University of Illinois. It basically consisted of dropping food on the school floors for different timed intervals to see when the food began to collect bacteria. Now, I am a 5-second rule observer, so I was a little disheartened to find that they discovered a transfer of germs before 5 seconds. However, what needs to be taken into consideration, in my point of view, is the floor upon which the food is being dropped. Obviously. In another study I looked at, they tested their food subjects on floor surfaces that had been generously tainted with monstrous amounts of E coli and salmonella for the purpose of the study. Of course those food pieces are going to be contaminated instantly, silly people. But in Ms. Clarke's study, the floors she tested were swabbed beforehand and found to be surprisingly clean. The bacterial numbers were too small to count. Now, would that make you sick? Probably not. However, all floors are not created equal.
Let's also look at the type of food being dropped. Of course nobody is going to eat a scoop of ice cream that has fallen out of its cone. (At least I hope not). But what of other foods? In a seperate study (Yes, this seems to be a fad among young scientists) they dropped apple slices versus skittles on the floors of their school cafeteria and recorded the results. The apple slices showed no signs of bacteria for about 30 seconds, while the Skittles remained "clean" for about 5 minutes. (Again, another clean cafeteria floor? That's the most unexpected thing I discovered during this whole research thing.)
All in all I guess there is no solid answer. To be on the safe side, health experts advise to err on the side of safety and don't eat anything that has touched those nasty, germ-laden floors. Bacteria is everywhere, it's true, and many harmful germs can be found on a number of surfaces. Are all surfaces guilty of harboring E coli and salmonella? Heavens, I don't know. But I think I'm still going to eat that stray skittle anyway. Especially if it has fallen on a school cafeteria floor, apparently.
I'd also like to mention that Jillian Clarke won the Ig Nobel prize in 2004. It's a parody award granted for "research that first makes you laugh, then makes you think." How cool is that?

And that's my random post for the day.

Oh, OOOHHH I'd like to rant really quickly, before I take my leave, about how disappointed I am that the newest and final Georgia Nicholson book does not come out until October. Want to know how disappointed I am? SO DISAPPOINTED! Gah! I can't even talk about it. Good night.

Monday, June 15, 2009

A New One

Today I got called "Jerk Store".

Yeah, I don't know either.

I also photographed that wedding reception this past weekend. I got some really nice photos out of it, but I think I need a better camera. Any suggestions? I was thinking Canon 40D, anyone ever use one? I'll post some of my edited photos once I've got them all finished. :D

Friday, June 12, 2009

Back in Black!

Ahhh, it feels good to be back, in my blog, doing blogging things. Like blogging. :D In some black clothes!

So I'm photographing another wedding tomorrow. Well, not the whole wedding, just a reception. His photographer couldn't make it to this one. Which is kinda lame, right? You're a couples' wedding photographer, you should be going to every part of their wedding - it's your job. Well, they almost dropped the other girl and hired me on to do all their sessions, but they didn't. And that's ok. :) However, I've been recruited to photograph another couples' wedding in the hopefully near future...the bride's dad is causing some trouble and they don't have a date anymore. So sad. But I'm rooting for them!
I've updated my online portfolio if anyone would like to take a look:

http://www.artbistro.com/member/BellaPazzo/albums

Hopefully you'll be able to see them - I had someone say they couldn't get into my albums. That is, if you want to see them. So I've mapped out the rest of my educational career, and I'm a little disappointed. Because of the way prerequesites and semester-specific classes work, I will only be able to take 3 classes for the next 3 semesters to graduate, and then I will have one class left - ONE CLASS - that I won't be able to take until the following spring, so I won't be able to get my degree until 2011. *crycrycry* BUT it's all good. :) This way, I will be able to pay for the semesters much more easily, and we have to admit, at least I am getting my degree (tiny little associates degree it may be) and I am going to do what I love. I was quite worried for a while, because I have been planning all this time to be able to support myself by myself, and knew it was going to be a difficult thing, but I kept forgetting that one day I will be married, so I won't have to go it alone. O_o at least I think I'll be married, haha.

So I think I'll post some pictures up here. I went to Midway with my buddy recently and we hit Cascade Springs and Bridal Veil Falls. Yay, artistic opportunity


















There you have it. I'm off to buy a wedding gift. Joy of all friggin joys.