What are you talking about, ita? I am so much like you right now, that I think I will call you Ali.

I mean, I'm sleepy, blonde, and mildly in pain. What else do I need?

Doing my sadly-nearly-usualy-by-now skip in order to post that, according to the Buffista Calendar, today is Sophia Brooks' birthday. Happy birthday, Sophia! With lots of wishes for a great day and a wonderful year!

'Birthday, Sophia.

Nutty, I bought a bike with upright posture for $122, but I couldn't find it at Wal-Mart or the bike shop. My dad found it at Pamida, the local general store. It had hand brakes, though.

You probably won't need this on the bike path, but mine came with shock absorbers in the front and springs under the seat that make biking on the sidewalk much more comfortable. Worth it.

Happy Birthday Sophia! Have a great one.

I mean, I'm sleepy, blonde, and mildly in pain. What else do I need?

Okay, that is pretty close.

Happy birthday, Sophia!

ita, if you're anyway up (and knowing in which timezone you are, I hope you're in deep sleep when I type this) - I absolutely loved your Kenya pictures.

The ones with the views almost seemed like places that can't be real, they were so pretty and rich in color and wide in air. I had to keep reminding myself that "pretty as a picture" or "pretty as a postcard" is a silly compliment, since the best pictures merely try to capture the actual essence of the place.

I know nothing about photography: light, composition, all those things are not things I understand anything about. I only know to say "pretty!". But I love the way you manage to capture moments. The "small scale" pictures, the ones that aren't the gorgeous views, give this "you are here" feel, sort of "this is how these people look, this is their life". I'm not sure I'm making myself clear. It's like, if I ever manage to get to a place like Kenya, I'll be out-of-breath from the beauty of the views, but there will be a couple of places that will almost look familiar, but through your eyes.

Oh, and I love the picture of you alone with the see and the sky and the camera around your neck.

I had no idea I had so much to say, about somebody else's pictures, and knowing nothing about photography. Apparently, it's more fun than matlab, who knew.

Happy Birthday, Sophia!!!

The ones with the views almost seemed like places that can't be real, they were so pretty and rich in color and widein air. I had to keep reminding myself that "pretty as a picture" or "pretty as a postcard" is a silly compliment, since the best pictures merely try to capture the actual essence of the place.

I keep meaning to look up the origin of 'pretty as a picture' because of the very same thing.

Hi, Nilly. Hi, Nou.

ita, I hope you wake up feeling no pain.

Timelies all!

Happy Birthday Sophia!

Hi Nilly!

(am sleepy. this will not get better soon, as we are going to a baseball game tonight, and I don't know how late it will run)

Happy Birthday Sophia! Have a great day!

Birthday happies to Sophia!