mosaic of me

photo credits go to:

1. DSC19742 - Natalie's eye, 2. Pillar of fire, 3. Hockaday Class of 98 Reunion 2008, 4. Green on Green, 5. christian bale maybe, 6. Father, Drinking Red Wine: McGregor Winery, NY, 7. Stamboul, Turkey (LOC), 8. open sesame, 9. bookshop window box wigtown scotland, 10. More on the Whole Simon Blint Fiasco, 11. Delivery Skills: How to Engage your Audience, 12. IMG_8792

i saw this little ditty over at theSCOOP and i couldn't resist making one of my own. it's a really lovely idea, and apparently, something really fun to put up at your desk (as my co-workers are also making them)... i guess you could call it a little self-expression.

want one of your very own, too? all you have to do is answer the following 12 questions (my answers are in parenthesis after each question) ...

1. what is your first name? (natalie)

2. what is your favorite food? (tepanyaki)

3. what high school did you attend? (the hockaday school)

4. what is your favorite color? (green)

5. who is your celebrity crush? (christian bale)

6. favorite drink? (dry red wine)

7. dream vacation? (instanbul, no constantinople)

8. favorite dessert? (créme brulée)

9. what do you want to be when you grow up? (a bookshop and café owner)

10. what do you love most in life? (experiencing new things)

11. one word to describe you? (spontaneous?)

12. your Flickr name? (idontliketowearshoes)

... type your answer to the above questions into Flickr's search. using only the images that appear on the first page, choose your favorite, copy and paste the URL into the Mosaic Maker (3 columns, 4 rows) and have yourself a grand ole time!!!

(random note - the first picture of the eye is, oddly, almost the exact color of my eyes. pretty nifty, huh?)

idea courtesy of theSCOOP, via Somewhere in Middle America, originally from wonderful one times one.

soap box à la natalie... and a little thank you, too.

i know that i tend to focus on political diatribes here, but i am really upset by the tactless criticism that stephenie meyer has been recieving for breaking dawn - the fourth and final book in the twilight series. i realize that i may be in an apparent minority in declaring that i absolutely loved the book and the way it concluded the series. i also realize that absolutely everyone is entitled to their own opinion... but seriously, what happened to tact? what happened to considering that when people tear down someone and their work carelessly on the internet, they are probably hurting the person they are referring to? it's not like people are talking about a machine here. so many people are being horribly cruel to a real live person who has feelings and pride in her work and ... i don't know... a heart, by not considering that what they slap up on some random internet site without thought might actually be read by the person they are referring to.

i was a little behind with getting on the twilight train, as i am not typically a fan of the fantasy genre. however, when i was in the states in june to be with my family, i happened to pick up twilight at a local bookstore. i finished it in 5 hours. i then proceeded to devour the next two books in the series - new moon and eclipse - the next day (no, i am not exaggerating... i literally could not put them down and flew through the pages faster than i have ever done before). i have probably never become so attached to fictional characters in my life... and it goes without saying - though people should say it much more often - that stephenie meyer is an absolutely brilliant author.

i just think that instead of criticizing her work without considering that there was an unbelievable amount of thought and love that went into it, we - the twilight readership - should be thanking ms. meyer for providing the world at large with an absolutely compelling story (whether you liked all of it or not, it is undeniable that the books have a real draw to them, that they are exquisitely written, and that they are incredibly easy to access). we should be thanking her for making us pick up a book instead of glazing over in front of the television again. wonderful people like stephenie meyer and j.k. rowling have made people love to read again. people like those lovely women have introduced characters that inspire such passion in readers that they found societies and thousands of websites and establish holidays specifically dedicated to them. it's really pretty incredible if you think about it.

so, even though i am absolutely no one in the grand scheme of things... i want to say 'thank you,' stephenie meyer for giving the world your stories. thank you for the care and heart that you put into your work and into your interactions with your fans. thank you for giving us edward and bella and the cullens and jacob and charlie and renessme... simply, thank you.

i think i'm in love...