Trying something new:

http://valeriek.tumblr.com/

Celebrating Life

February 27, 2008 would have been Jason Bradley's 30th birthday. He passed away unexpectedly a few months ago. His family and friends chose this evening to gather at the New Dodge Lounge in Hamtramck to celebrate his life and raise funds for the Gift of Life program, to which Jason's organs were donated.

On the bill for the evening were Coda Honor -- my brother's barbershop quartet, Cowboy Messiah -- our friend Andrew's band, and All About the Fire, which is my friend Paul's band, in their debut performance. This is a shot I got of Paul in action.

At Last

I hesitate to cheer too loudly, for anything can happen with Michigan weather, but I think Spring is finally here! This weekend was beautiful. Spent as much of it as I could outside. Flowers are blooming, birds are chirping ... I feel a song coming on ...

By the way, does anybody know what kind of flower this is? It's on a shrub in my front yard. The shrub is pretty scraggly and unattractive, and I've contemplated uprooting it, but it does give me these flowers for a short time each Spring. I guess it's earned itself a little more time ...

Update: This is apparently a type of magnolia tree! Glad I found that out before I uprooted it!

Sounds like someone has a case of the Mondays ...

Too bad it's Friday ...

Roma's Creepy Yellow Eyes

My Name In Lights

I went to Value World last night on my way home from work. There are far worse addictions a girl can have -- especially when it comes to shopping -- than thrift store shopping. I spent a good hour there, and left with a cute dress, a shirt and an old Lite Brite. And I spent a total of $12.94. I intend to eBay the Lite Brite, but I had to play with it just once.

The Enforcer