I am starting to pick up some momentum regarding my photography, a fact I am very pleased with.

Certainly, it is a big asset, to be able to work with (make that be hounded by) Siam so frequently. Lets face it, she's the type of model most photogs would kill to work with, and its difficult to do a bad shot with her. I am extremely fortunate she pushes me as hard as she does, and makes me hone my skills.

The pretty lizard shot we did is goig into international publication in a magazine in January, which is great, and we are doing a follow on ad next week. I am really excited about it, as it is a big benefit for all involved, indluding our good friend Battledress.

I will also be shooting a few new models of the next few weeks, which has been a long time coming, and will add some new diversity into my work, which is certainly needed.

At least I am making good work with the downtime due to the economy.

Someone got selected to be the model of the week on fetishbuzz ( [link] ). Even a few of my pics are up there.

Congratulations, pretty lady!

Today, I am getting married.

Thats such a simple sentence, yet its such a monumental change for me.. its amazing.

I never was one to think that marriage was part of my life goals. I didnt see most work, I dont think its really in line with fundamental human nature, etc. Still, here I am, sitting at my favorite coffee house, sweating bullets in happy anticipation of the event at hand.

I am so unbelievably lucky, that I honestly believe it was planned. The wonderful woman I am to wed today is amazing, beautiful, intelligent, and totally brilliant in so many ways. Still, we faced so many challenges, with 5000 miles separating us for over a year. Now, however, it just seems like a shadowy memory of a past trial.

Its hard to really make it clear, when I discuss her and what we are doing. Many people ask 'why'. I suppose its best to say, that I have been haunted by this love, long before I had ever met her. Even longer than perhaps she has been here on this earth to tell the truth. How else to put it? That I knew her face, her mannerisms before we met.. that my heart ached for her presence before I could ever put a name to her?

Yet, here is it, we found eachother and made it work. We are together and I cannot ever imagine ever being apart. I am so very very lucky.. I have been given a chance at the type of love that people write about in books and fairy tales. Its amazing.

I am very thankful to have her in my life and so look forward to the times ahead.

I love you, Hattie.

I need to update journals more often, if nothing else but to excuse my lack of correspondance with my friends and family.

To say I have been busy as of late would be a understatement. We have a set ammount of time in the day, but sometimes I wonder if the hourglass inst filled with water instead of sand.

Siam and I have been planning our wedding.. less than 3 weeks now? Wow. We are doing something informal, small, easy.. but even that.. so many details. Not a good situation for procrastinators. Its been fun though, working invitations... trips to the art store to lament over paper choices, ring hunting, coordination. So many people are so happy for us, and its quite amazing. Lots of work to do.

The cats are crazy.. did I mention that?

Allergies have been brutal, almost as much as the job market. That situation needs to change and soon. Cant honeymoon in a cardboard box, now can we?

At least I have been using my free time to create and shoot like a madman. I cant believe how many photographs I have yet to edit, so many good sets. Still learning each shoot, trying new things... always grateful to my friends and supporters who leverage me into being able to create this wonderful imagery. The surface hasnt even been scratched yet.

Pretty lizards, breeders, drowned hookers, aquatic pin up... heh.. I need to get back to editing.

So things are settling in with myself and Siam. She is very busy with shooting and I am building up steam with a few planned shoots myself. In addition to my son being here, we felt that having just one attention deficit hyper active male in the home (not including myself) wasn't enough and adopted a kitty which Miss Pixie brought to our attention...

Now mind you, being asthmatic I never wanted to have a cat.. but I was convinced and now we have a beautiful grey 2 year old by the name of Mr. Stripes. He is certainly a interesting breed, with just a light tinge of pink to him, his eyes glow orange nearly constantly, which may indicate some sort of demonic possession, which through careful observation could be a possible explanation to his actions: Sprinting across the hard wood living room, careening into walls due to said hard wood, affectionately sinking his teeth into the ankles of my son and Siam to get them to ' play ' (Sado-cat!) etc. Hes actually quite fun to have around outside of being a VERY vocal cat.

But.. the best came today.. I was treating myself to a tasty garlic infused olive and Mr. Stripes became quite interested. As I ate, his vocals became more urgent, insistent if you will. "What cat would possible want a olive?' I thought to myself. It certainly didn't fall into the range of cat like behavior I, in my limited experience with felines, would come to expect. Still, on a whim, I sliced up half of a queen sized, garlic and all, into thin little slices.

The change... was immediate. He took to his bowl with a ferocity and concentration I had not ever witnessed in our feline friend, or any other. He was beyond fascinated, he was attending these delectable morsels with a almost religious fervor. Still, I could tell something unusual was at hand. It could be his tossing the slices into the air, or his attempting to force his entire body into his little cat bowl at once. Once the slices were consumed, he proceeded to alternate between jumping in place, rolling on the ground and occasionally chasing his tail.

After some internet research, it seems that olives have in their oil a similar phermonic compound to catnip which stimulates a part of the brain we evolved specimens have outgrown. Its rare that a cat responds to it at all but it isn't entirely unheard of and can generate a more intense response than simple catnip. Olives don't have anything a cat needs, but they are not harmful according to my research (and yes, these were organically grown and preserved).