I'm feeling rather down and very sentimental today. While I still try to soldier on through this latest "Flare Up" that started after a very emotional and angering phone call a couple days before Christmas, it looks as though the New Year is going to greet me with my new reality. "Enough of that!" I think to myself. "You're going to put on something pretty, put your face on, do your hair, and Welcome in the New Year even if you are alone! (Shweetie has to work, of course. 17 years together and I can count on one hand how many New Years we've kissed in.*Shaking Head*)

What keeps me going are the short and long term goals, and Ackergill Castle for our 7 day 20th Wedding-versary Fete is a *Loch* in!!!! I think I may have heard the tiniest of groans from the one person I think reads this sight. Might help if I told my "My People" as it were, about this sight, (the Shweetie doesn't even know the web address, though I do read him some of my entries) but for some reason I just can't do it. It's at times too raw, too frenetic, too all over the place, too me, too too. I think what I need to do is create another blog that is strictly for my health updates, be it daily, weekly, bi-weekly.

*This thought train derailment brought to you by Morphine! Morphine! It's not just for pain anymore!*

Now, for the the reason I started this entry. I have seen a vast and massive drop off in couples who want a video for their weddings, which I have to agree with. Spray Cheese on a Ritz Cracker, STAT! But now, I'm seeing them making a come back with what I feel are (depending on the artistry and videographer's love of their craft) fresh, to the point, a peek behind the scenes, and really lovely, and when set to the right music, truly moving DVDs of the day. The move back to real Super 8 (not the computer generated stuff, which I can spot from a mile away! or at least I think I can) is giving couples an opportunity to really capture a timeless look of THEIR day almost instantly! How wonderful is technology and the people who embrace it and turn it into an art form?

I saw this one, and because of my mood, tears were a flowin'. I LOVE Peter Gabriel's music, but for some reason had totally forgotten "Book of Love". The video on it's own would be...nice...but you add "Book of Love" to it, and it turns me into a puddle of sentimental tears of joy, and hope for yet another couple I don't know. The videographer placed a voice over of her vows (would have LOVED to have heard his, and some laughter that can help humanize such a sacred, solemn, and beautiful sacrament. (BTW, these two will have stunning children, should they choose that path.)

Our "Song" is the UB40 version of "Can't Help Falling (In Love)". As whirlwind as our meeting, courting, living together, and then marrying was, it's just the perfect encapsulation of our pledge of love to each other. "Book of Love" fits us quite well, too (I used to read to him and sing to him (in the car along with a song) all the time, and when we married, didn't have the money for proper wedding rings. We used a $29.99 garnet and diamond chip yellow gold ring (bought as a consolation "prize" after he spent $50 bucks on new hockey pants...he spoils me, now) and was meant as a pinkie ring. Shweetie could only get it up to my second knuckle. Why I stopped reading to him, I'll never remember, but what a beautiful gift to give him for his 40th coming up in Feb. A narration of "Our Book of Love".

I hope you enjoy the video. There are some things I would have done differently, but I love the direction that wedding videography is taking!

As Always, I'm your Una *Unabridged*

Dornoch Cathederal - Christen & Mark from Alastair Brown on Vimeo.

Moved to Tears by People I Don't Even Know

I was pulled in.

I was enthralled.

I was moved by the images and the music

I was still.

I felt the tears.

I laughed.

I felt the yearning of wanting to know their story.

I feel hope, for these strangers I will probably never know.

I feel hope that their vows to one another will forever be sealed by them.

Bride and Groom Cinema-Style Flip Book, Aves Photographic Design from Lauren Aves on Vimeo.

I USED TO F**CKING LOVE YOU! NOW? I WANNA CHERISH YOU!

Sorry about that. What sat here before was a really fantastic video of a rather dark and creepy "Trash the Dress" session. For some reason, it was OK to copy and embed a few days ago, now, it's not. Ah, the fickleness of arteests. What I don't get is why a business would turn down free advertising. If they took a few minutes to actually look at my blog, they would have noticed that any follower of mine would have gotten excited about it too! Say Lovey.

This small group has done some of the most amazing, beautiful, fresh, exciting, and gorgeous work I've seen!!!! My hope is that they won't deny anyone who might read this blog, the sheer delight in watching their work, let alone that it's FREE advertising. FREE.

I can only hope that there is enough money in the coffers to fly a couple of 'em to Scotland for our T.T.D. session that I want to turn into an amazing shoot for all our guests to participate in!

I want our beloved family and friends to let loose, seize the day, and do a little trashing of their own!

Griffen + Curtis' Trash the Dress Shoot in CA from stillmotion on Vimeo.