Little Cherubs

The Wedding Affair

This Saturday, Well Wed Magazine will be putting on an awesome bridal show at the Memorial Art Gallery. I have two free tickets for anyone interested in going. Here is some more information on the event.

Unveiling the Finger Lakes' Finest

{Come one, Come all} The carnival-themed New York Wedding Affair invites you to step right up, take a chance, and plan the wedding of your dreams.

Planning a New York State wedding soirée? Join us for the New York Wedding Affair! At this year’s event, vintage carnival games will set the tone for a fun and inspiring showcase of inventive décor and complimentary, fair-worthy fare — including candied apples, cupcakes, and, of course, cotton candy. Even better, a silent auction of fabulous wedding-related gift certificates and other items will benefit the Make a Wish Foundation, and each lucky bride-to-be will receive a luxury gift bag containing over $100 worth of goodies.

Attendees will have the chance to mingle with the some of the best wedding professionals in the region before heading into the spa room to enjoy luxurious hand and foot treatments, hair and makeup consultations, and chair massages. There will be educational seminars on everything from wine and menu pairing to modern wedding etiquette, and the evening will conclude with an amazing fashion show of stunning bridal couture!

Seeking wedding inspiration? Attend the 2011 New York Wedding Affair to meet with the region’s best industry professionals, attend great seminars, and more. Register early, as tickets do sell out!

For more information visit their website at
http://www.aweddingaffair.com/



98

Every year, my kids and I sit around the Hanukkah candles on the eighth night and watch the candles on four menorahs burn down. At first the room is glowing from the light of 36 candles. Before too long, one by one the candles flicker and go out, leaving a plume of smoke that rises in to the air. There is always one candle that just seems to hang on though, even after all the wax is gone and the wick is nothing but ash. The faint glow of the blue flame hangs on for sometimes five or ten minutes. Inevitably though, the holiday ends with one last plume of smoke rising in to the air.

Last October, I flew down to Florida to visit my Grandfather and Grandmother. I knew it was possibly the last time I would see him since his 98 year old body was showing the signs of it's age. At 2:05 this morning, my Grandfather's faint glow went out sending his soul up to heaven. His life was very much like that last candle. Living to 98 years old, he has seen all of his friends flicker and go out, leaving him as the lone candle. But this story has a different ending, for what looked like a lone candle was actually two intertwined, the other being my Grandmother. Together, they had the strength to burn longer and brighter. They would have celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary this year.

At 95 years old, my Grandmother will be on her own for the first time in her life. She is very strong though and has the love and support of literally dozens of family members. There are no regrets. My Grandfather left this world with the tank empty and the tires smoking. He lived life completely.

My Grandfather was a tinkerer. He loved to take things apart. He made a career of it with his own vacuum repair shop. I remember when I was nine or ten years old, I was riding as a passenger on a banana seat bicycle. It's usually a scenario to end up on America's Funniest Home Videos. I ended up somehow with my ankle wedged between the frame of the bike and the kick stand. Within minutes, my Grandfather was on the scene with a tool box dismantling the bike to set me free. I almost imagine the story with him wearing a cape to come to my rescue. Staying true to form during his last few days in the hospital, he had the nurses in a fit when he dismantled his heart monitor. I guess he literally wanted to see what made it tick.

Ellen and I will fly down to Florida tomorrow. Bringing family together is what he liked to do best and even in death he is still doing it. I'm sure he is looking down from heaven and smiling at the legacy he left behind.

Resolutions

Is it just me or does every year seem to pick up more speed? I feel like I just blogged about resolutions and here it is again. My past resolutions have usually been based on the more emotional and spiritual side of my life. I feel I finally have a good grasp on those areas and I would like to keep things the way they are.

As I approach my 41st birthday, I'm discovering that one of my resolutions is the typical cliche of getting in to shape and losing weight. Coaching hockey four times a week and playing once a week apparently isn't enough to defy gravity. I bought a neat doorway gym consisting of some clamps and those stretchy resistance bands. I'm determined to not let them hang from the door and grow mold from lack of us. I do have a fear though that the clamps will one day soon either come loose or snap causing the resistance band to take an eye out.

So now that I've convinced myself that it's too dangerous to work out, I'll move on to my business goals for the year. I want to push the envelope on my creativity. I want to think out of the box with lighting, posing, backgrounds and session ideas. I also want to explore areas of photography that I don't do much of like nature, wildlife and fine art photography. I want to focus more on the art that inspires me. So often I photograph for what I think everyone else would like instead of doing what touches my soul.

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I hope the new year is filled with peace and happiness in your life, along with the appreciation for the gifts you already have.

We closed out 2010 and rung in the new year with a family game of Nerf Dart Capture the Flag. As we were crawling around the house in the dark, I felt like a kid. Glow-in-the dark tracer darts were whizzed by my head. My heart was pounding from the action. I couldn't help but smile. Life is good.