erica fellicella: shots

click here for shots from neighbor/friend's latest project, "shots."

you take a shot and she'll take your mug. . .under the influence. awesome idea. great pics.

the stone's

i'm always in this constant cycle of -meet, -book, -shoot, and -deliver. i should add -share with blogland to the list because i don't think i've posted anything about the past three weddings.

this wedding was really special on a number of levels. first, because i adore the couple. second because i got to be a little more creative with their engagement and bridal portrait. and third because it rained like hell the weekend of the wedding and the bride said, "i wanted to get married outside and damnit, i'm going to get married outside."

i applaud her and i definetly applaud all of the white umberellas and fancy clothes for photographs.

a very smart bridesmaid gave me the plastic bag her shoes came in and i put my camera in it and shot out of the bag. as soon as the bride made it down it began to really rain and she ushered everyone into the gazebo.

it was GORGEOUS! all of it. the whole day.

thank you mr. and mrs. stone for letting me be a part of it.

he's lucky he's so damned cute

I. in the not so distant past: it's 5 in the a.m. i've been in bed for almost three hours. the baby and i have the following conversation:

baby: mama, ringo peed on us.

me: nuh-huh. go back to sleep.

baby: ringo peed on us, mama. it's wet!

me: (hand reaches out blindly in search of ringo-piss and finds one oh-so-tiny drop of wet that just couldn't possibly be ringo pee.) it must be your apple juice, (grabs shirt of floor. dab. dab. dab.) there. all better. go back to sleep.

baby: (30 seconds of silence.) mama ringo did pee on us.

me: ringo would not pee on us, penn. did your diaper leak or something? (feels diaper)

baby: on the leg, mama.

me: oh, your leg is wet. (get up, find new diaper and new pajamas. kneel down over baby to clean and change him. get up.) HOLY . . .!!!!! (legs are comletely wet from where i knelt down.)

baby: i told you ringo peed on us.

me: RINGO GO OUTSIDE! c'mon penn, let's go sleep with daddy.

daddy: what's going on?

me: ringo peed on us.

baby: (jumps up and down on bed and won't stop.) breakfast momma?

so i had to wash all of the bed linens at 5 o'clock in the morning on three hours of sleep.
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II. day after "not so distant past:" chocolate milk spilled in the bed. again with the early morning linen washing.

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III. baby's bed is covered in white linens. i decide to eliminate this because i'm tired of scrubbing stains. so i dye it tan. find out that tan doesn't dye over chocolate milk stains or chapstick. worse than before?

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IV feel wetness seeping underneath me and think OH NO!!!! RINGO PISS! whew. just soymilk from penn's glass. regular. not chocolate. am so tired i pull out the towels and flip the pillow over and go back to sleep.

shut. up.

this morning's conversation:

baby: ringo pooped on the bed, momma.

me: (groan) really?

baby: uh-huh. right there!

yes really. doesn't look purposeful. sort of like passing gas gone wrong and juicy and spiced with too much grass eating. come on. if i have to clean it, least you can do is read about it. it was disgusting. and covered a rather large area of the end of the bed. but ringo was jumping on my head. when ringo does anything wrong----even relocating shoes or stealing some of penn's food off of the table, he cowers and runs. he wasn't cowering. he was on. my. head.

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my point is, the last two weeks have either been the above or just like the above. i am exhausted and imperfect and both of these things annoy me.

urban vocabulary

behyman

most perfect artist #____

"Ben Folds---Still Fighting It."

this is one of those posts that rumbles around my noggin on a semi-constant basis. perhaps purging it to the internet(s) will free me.

i'd like to publically announce that my adoration for ben folds has reached its bursting point. everything i play (keys and/or guitar) subconciously tries to mimmick the bennster. one silly jingle-pop i wrote even titled itself "i should be ben folds friend." i wonder how he'd feel about me calling him "the bennster."

penn can sing many of the songs on "songs for silverman." chorus: "why ya gotta act like you know when you don't know?" then penn chimes in from his carseat: "it's okay if you don't know anything."
i took my brother,

and my blurry sister to a ben folds concert in kalamzoo, michigan. it was our first all by ourselves "road-trip" extravaganza. i felt like i was part of a real family. teasing my little brother in the back seat who played weezer really loud for my sis and i to jam to. i drove SO SLOW and when my siblings commented on my lack of adventure in driving skills i pointed out that i had my mothers entire brood in her car (which is huge compared to my little honda) and we weren't going to take any chances so they could just shut up. shut. up. and that's what being a big sister is all about.

the point is, ben folds lives on my top ten list of most perfect artists. every velvety note and amazing composition on the piano inspires me. makes me want to just really do amazing artistic things. makes me want to listen to songs over and over again and s-o-a-k it all up. if i could have my ben folds intravenously i totally totally would. his albums have this gorgeous ability to open new windows in my head so that i can see better.

that's the way it's supposed to be, people. open.

wet tx

anyone notice it rained in dallas this weekend? i keep looking for a number. how many inches does it take to close nw hwy? or wash a woman away to her death at turtle creek? insanity.

so of course we had to take a walk in it. we splashed until my flip-flopped feet froze and headed back. ringo still reeks of "eau de wet dogg."

today was gorgeous. and strange as far as accomplishments go. i'll blog more on that later . . .like in may, when i've got a moment.

carissabyers.com

still some tweaks here and there that i can never seem to catch before i publish. but for the most part, this is the new look.

when i think back to the times i was pondering, "when i grow up," never once did it occur to me that getting older would also involve a domain with my name in it.

ellaroo.com

i'm supposed to take pictures of this: amazing baby carriers by Ellaroo in action.

they're beautiful and intricate. the fabrics are gorgeous and specific.

the owner also has amazing vintage carriers from thailand. "smell," she said, "sometimes they smell like campfires." i was confused for a second, but pressed my nose against one anyway. campfires. they are really really really vintage. like, from when they were worn around campfires by tribeswomen.

shooting for ellaroo is always a pleasure. i support this company, it's philosophy and owners tenfold. but damnitall if it's not the "candid's" that i am not paid to take that i shoot while waiting on models to change that are always my favorite. this boy is one of the sweetest young men i have ever met. if i had such a contest he'd totally win my fave portrait of the month.

pictures from a closing reception

still here

busy, that's all.

irc fun

penn was my date to the irc. looks like they put on a really successful event. people were happy and bidding and enjoying themselves. it was a little like charity disney land. everyone smiling, wishing me a good evening and all.

there were a lot of photo-ops there, but as we were driving through downtown i had to keep talking to keep penn awake. (so many times, i've reached our destination only to discover the baby has fallen asleep. so i turn around and rush home and put him to bed. nap time for baby = work time for mommy.) i say i had to keep him awake for the drive meaning, that once we got there he was a perfect gentleman, but after 30 minutes began asking, "can we go home now?"

he's a pro, though. even comments on which ones he likes accompanied by vague reasons why. there was a painted sand sculpture there that he loved. he's into sculpture. and knows the word "art" and "show" now.

alas, i was only able to take a guess at some settings and shoot from the hip. literally.

i said it first: me = moron; mary = lifesaver

i was so honored when the IRC (International Rescue Comittee) asked me to donate a piece to auction at their fundraising function, ARTVOCACY 2006. i had a lot of ideas in my head about shooting something new and specific to the African Refugee related art.

time eats me alive.

i wrote down the deadline for delivering the art on the wrong day. *sheesh* so today, the day before the event, because i had a meeting, i called mary and said, "emergency."

"i'll be right there."

i sent her down to retrieve a piece from the continental gallery and put up a note saying: "this piece removed by artist." she then had to deliver the photo to the irc with the artist statement. and then she had to rush back to babysit for me.

i was on time for the meeting. but my clients weren't. so i checked my calendar to get their phone number (one of the guys was flying in from austin), and noticed that my meeting is tomorrow. not today. *double sheesh.*

but, i did get a piece that will hopefully sell and help their organization and they did seem genuinley pleased with it.

my new and improved prints came in today, so now i have to find a frame and mat that is identical to the current nineteen hanging for saturday's closing reception.

tha's right ya'll: CLOSING RECEPTION SATURDAY 11, 2006, 6-8 P.M. free breerra, curteousy of budweiser. no icy roads this time. see ya there!

prints will arrive tomorrow

Hello Lou,

Thank you so much for all of your attention. I spoke with D. today. She is Fabulous. She was very clear and helpful for both this order and the future orders I want to place. Because of her amazing service and competance I offered to pay for any shipping costs and deliver the others once the show comes down. Devin said not to worry about it, she can see what happened and made it very simple for me to make sure no one has to do this again. I can't explain how much easier this makes my life. Again, Devin is wonderful.

All my business to (insert company name here),
Carissa Byers


***note: i didn't think it would be helpful to anyone to publish this company's name. customer service aside, they do excellent work.***

president of the un-fan club of Anthony

Hello Lou, (President of company)

I recently ordered 11x14 prints for a photography show. I did not recieve full frame prints and ended up with cropped images that I was forced to put on exhibit. I told buyers of those framed prints that they would recieve the correct full-frame photo when the show came down.

I called your establishment and explained my dillema and was told by a female employer to re-send the files for a full-frame re-print at no charge. She said returning the cropped prints was not necassary.

When I realized I could not re-send the order without my credit card number I called to ask someone what I should do.

I was transferred to Anthony who repeatedly accused me of trying to "get something for free." I told him I was only trying to obtain what I was promised by the female employee.

Anthony is The Most Condescending, Rude, Arrogant and Difficult person I have ever had the Displeasure of attempting business with.

I was told, among other things:

• "Your problem is you just don't understand proportions."
• "You're just trying to get something for free."
• "When exactly do I get my prints." (The prints are currently hanging in a gallery and I can't take them down. There is also a closing reception on the 11th.)
• "There is no refund."

When I told him I wanted to get off of the phone so I could talk to someone else and think about other solutions Anthony replied: "And just who exactly are you going to speak with, hmmmm? The general manager?"

I told him I didn't think it was his business and I didn't have to explain to him who I was going to speak with. He replied, "It is my business. This is my counter."

I am apalled. I felt like I was speaking with a cartoon Disney villian who had rehearsed some sort of verbal dance of employer/customer condescension. I have never wanted the ability to record my phone calls more in my life.

As an artist, making a living at selling my art, composition is quite important. What I am asking for is my full-frame prints at the promised charge of zero dollars.

Thank you very much for your time,
Carissa Byers

i am 4'10, 85 pounds, and i can't start a lawnmower

after i filled up on dissapointing answers to my lawn question to benji, like, "more important things to do. . ." i filled myself up on determination and excitement. part of me thought borrowing the neighbors lawn mower and cutting the grass myself would be fun.

and part of it was! i do love accomplishment. and sometimes, i know it's weird, i kinda like manual labor type things. and part of it was weird. heavy. loud. vibrating. grass all in my face. body stretched out in hard linear form so as to attemp some sort of leverage against the beast that needed to be pushed across my front lawn.

there was gawking from passwer-by's. i could hear the giggling from behind the car windows. we would have to live at the corner where the stop sign gives them a longer view. but nevermind them, I'M MOWING THE LAWN! first time since jr. high, i think, and that was on a riding lawnmower.

halfway through i looked up and saw benji and penn sitting on the front steps. they were both thinking and saying the same things, though in different context:

penn: "mommy's mowing the lawn! wow!"
benji: "mommy's mowing the lawn. wow. stop. really. i'll do it."

so i mowed half the lawn today.

recent keyword activity linking to thinkspot:

• naked boys
• how to use a toilet commode in a healthy manner
• alyssa milanno peeing on tonight show
• will ferguson interview video, -soccer
• circus elephants
• excersise discs for seating
• because it's raining in memphis
• i don't want to drown in tennessee
• circus elephants
• crochet term laying on back
• define bejesus
• photos of naked girl children having bath
• carissa byers
• sqeaky clarinet notes
• 17 car pile up
• carissabyers.blogspot

i'd love to address those of you searching for naked children on my site. but my language would only bring more of you sicko's here. knowing what keywords bring traffic to my part of cyberspace censors me more than the fact that my family, grandparents and clients read this. it censors my innocent words and it censors the innocent photos i have of my birthday suit boy and occasionally my friends birthday suit children playing with my son.

as if a mother needed more things to fear for her child, this, among other things, stories told to me by friends, the news, oprah, etc., fuels that fear and the protectiveness i have over my sons physical body, to the point of an unhealthy trust towards everyone.

it's interesting to note my personality, my chemical reactions and my morality on it's own versus when that personality, chemical reaction and morality is being a parent.

digifeck

i love digital photography. it completely fills my gen-x need for instant gratification. sidenote: i wish like hell i could really do film. all the way. alas. it is expensive. and complicated. and time consuming.

back to digital. nothing is foolproof. especially technology. sidenote: am reading "microserfs" by douglas coupland right now. full of hilarious breakdowns of humanity and the meaning of life in bits and bytes from the mouths of microsoft geeks. this conversation between three people for example: (pg. 60)

"Where does morality enter our lives, Dan? How do we justify what
we do to the rest of humanity?. . ."

"Religious upbringing."

"You are part of humanity. Our species currently has major problems and we're trying to dream our way out of these problems and we're using computers to do it. The construction of hardware and software is where the species is investing its very survival, and this construction requires zones of peace, children born of peace, and the absence of code-interfereing distractions. . ."

back to technology. after shooting a wedding last saturday i came home and downloaded my photos. business as usual. but when i went to acess them the next day, my laptop denied me.

my laptop recently drank a full cup of chai and really isn't a laptop anymore. there is an external keyboard, external drive and external cd burner attached to it. it looks like it's on life support. i have been coaxing and cursing and glued to this sticky piece of hardware for four days now trying to get someone's wedding day out of it.

i. know.

so penn and i were forced to go to the "puter store" and i scored a desktop for 300.0 after rebates. i think i'll call him earl. benji got a free printer out of it. so far so good. then tonight . . . .

AFTER STAYING UP TILL 5A.M. LAST NIGHT I FINALLY FIGURED OUT WHICH FILES WENT RETARDED ON ME AND THE LAPTOP FINALLY UNFROZE ITSELF LONG ENOUGH FOR ME TO DELETE THE RETARDEDNESS AND . . . .

I'VE GOT THE WEDDING PHOTOS OFF THAT STICKY SONOFA!

earl's got them now. new computers and not losing someone's memories . . . supafun. sidenote: i am watching my online portfolio crash as we speak.