39. And Scary.

Simply fantastic birthday today.

A birthday breakfast party.

A visit from my dad. That went like this.

I'm hanging out at my desk on the 16th floor of a hi-rise building in downtown Seattle. I get a call from reception, "Jennette - can you please come to the front desk." And there's my dad. With flowers and a present. And a whole bunch of peace and love in his face. Such a juxtaposition of my dad and my work and downtown Seattle and Othello - one of the sweetest surprises of my adult life.

Presents from Texas in the mail. Loved them.

A lovely dinner at Tutta Bella with my three favorite Sewards.

But let's talk about the scary part.

I got a new camera lens for my bday. That DRS - he sure comes through.

Okay - really now. Back to the scary part.

The lens allows you to really focus on your subject and blur your background. I practiced with some of my most glorious subjects - and the clarity and focus made most of them fabulous - but one of them pretty scary.

Not this one. This one is cute. And realistic. Not really smiling. But still hanging out for me while I take a picture.

Or this one. Not scary. Well it's kinda scary. But mostly because of the breakfast burrito in her teeth.

Not this one. Again, realistic. But not scary (most mornings).

Definitely not scary (until she stabbed me with a fork later on in the evening).

HERE it is.

Scary.

He looks like he's tyring to read my mind. And it's CLEAR to me that he's crazy. Is it the lens that gives me that clarity? Could be.

But his nose is ridiculously in focus. Right? I love this lens. I love clarity. And I love good, good days like this one.