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I went to bed early last night. Earlier, that is, than most nights recently. I've continue to have problems sleeping through the night. I wake in the morning drained and exhausted. It often feels as though I hadn't slept at all, but I know better. EL made coffee this morning. I am pretty sure she makes it every morning, but I'm rarely late enough to enjoy it. I prepared myself for the day, grabbed the thermos style cup (already filled no less) she'd recently given me, and climbed into my new ride for the short jaunt to the park and ride. I slid in some White Pony and realized about half way there that today was not a day to go to work. If I had any speakable vacation time on the books in this last 3 weeks of the calendar year, I would go home and snuggle up with a Valium, bottle of wine, or similar sleepy friend and let the hands march around the face of the clock whilst I was none the wiser. I don't like being tired like this because my mind doesn't function properly. I have lists of things to do that seem to gallop around that corral rather than sit in their stalls waiting to be addressed. I never catch them. Today is going to be the southern equivalent of the 4 martini lunch.... read: involves tequila. Greg and I had planned over a month ago to whoop it up after work tonight... not drugs-and-strippers-whoop-it-up, but more like cigars-scotch-and-talk-about-life-the-universe-and-everything-whoop-it-up. It's what happens when you evolve into having to schedule social outings with your friends on a calendar that syncs to your enterprise appointments and wirelessly stays sync'd to your cell phone/PDA calendar. Life became too complicated some point. I'm more the espresso and croissant with friends on the bistro patio than the chain smoking meetings and corporate schmoozing guy. I'm not saying that un-interrupted connectivity to everyone and everything doesn't prove extremely useful and on the surface, seem to make life easier. It superficially does. I believe that the guy living in a small village nestled in the Alps that knows everyone in his town and lives life at a slower pace is probably ultimately happier having never been exposed to the rat race of multi-billion dollar deals and cities swarming with millions of people. Rape, murder, extortion, conspiracy... household words in America's top 5. Houston weighs in at number 4 behind Chicago, Los Angeles, and the big NY. I never intended to land here. Of course, I never intended to be married more than once, serve in the military, or make photography more than a hobby, but good things have come to me because of those unexpected decisions. Not to jump tracks, but as I posted the photograph this morning, I thought of censorship. I've never censored my blog much. I can't say that I haven't withheld certain words or opinions to protect the feelings of overtly sensitive friends that read beyond the intended message into absurd and drama inducing fiction. Other than that, I've always been a straight shooter with a potty mouth. I'm a usually dirty minded, foul mouthed, sarcastic buffoon. I shot about 500 or so images this weekend under several lighting setups with several models. The vast majority will likely be deleted, but certainly never exposed to the public eye because I am picky about small things that turn an otherwise good photo into a circular file candidate. So, to my point... some of the photographs I took are nudes. Some topless, fewer completely nude, but the bottom line is the lack of clothes. Nudity is a line never crossed in this blog's history to the best of my knowledge and it is one I am struggling with crossing now. It's not that I have a problem with the human for or it's exposure. I think there is nothing more beautiful on God's Earth than the naked human female form and all it's curves and intricacies. My hesitation stems from perception... or my supposition of what the perception will be. I haven't decided yet on whether to proceed. In any case, I'll have a separate online portfolio for glamour, fashion, and beauty work, so at a minimum, I'll post the link. Skippity-do-dah again and I'm trying to get a discount on my auto insurance with my safe driving certification I must maintain for work to had pool access to company vehicles. I need to find that damn certificate. My office looks like it was hit by a tornado. I hope the day passes quickly. My sanity needs this weekend and some serious vegetation. Rest and Relaxation with no mental stress. Breath in. Breath out.