I Miss Blogging!

Where do I even begin to catch up for the two weeks that I haven't been able to touch my blog? Even now as I sit here I know I shouldn't be as I've got so much to do but I just had to post something and visit some of the blogs I've really missed. I missed the memes and everything! I haven't even taken any photos and I'm going through withdrawal.

The only photos I've taken were from a meet 'n greet and I'm posting two of the views from the balcony of the hotel banquet room we rented for the party. In the first shot, the streaks of light on the bottom are actually car lights from the cars on the freeway. I think it's pretty cool the way it turned out.



Okay, so here's the story. I'd been unemployed for over a year and Praise God I FINALLY got a job. Let's just say that it's not close to me and from the time I get up to the time I get home it's about 14 hrs. That only leaves 10 hrs. to my day, and since I have some things to do when I get home, like eat, wash some clothes, return a call or two... my sleep time has been about 6 hrs. a day.



And to top everything else off, I'm so low on funds it's not funny. Some people live paycheck to paycheck. I'm living just to get to my first check. My unemployment ran out a month before my start day so I've had NO money coming in except what I could borrow and it's so hard for me to reach out my hand and ask for help because I've never had to. At the moment I've got $10 to my name and need a full tank of gas to make it to work next week. No credit cards to fall back on because all my bills are late but thank God they're willing to work with me and I know that some how, some way, God will continue to supply all my needs. I'm not joking when I say he's met all my needs during the time I was unemployed and I know He won't stop now. He didn't carry me through this race to drop me just inches before the finish line.

It was easy for me to see how people become depressed and suicidal without God's love and support behind them to keep them strong and focused. If you haven't been here, it's not easy to know you've got no money coming in and everything around you is falling apart, needs to be fixed, creditors are calling nonstop looking for money you don't have and there is nothing you can do about it. Trust me when I say that ANYONE can go from having everything to having nothing. I was a thin line away from losing it all but Praise God that I am still in my house and that the end is in sight.

Anyhoo...for anyone who wants to know where I've been the past 2 weeks and why, this is my life, this is my story. I give myself another couple of weeks before I can waste gas going somewhere to take photos again. I miss getting out taking photos but there is a light at the end of my tunnel, Praise God, and I'm focused on that light.

L.A. In The Distance

I took these shots from the road that goes around the back of Bonelli Park over by the entrance to Raging Waters. There was a beautiful sunset that night and I'd been looking for some place to take a shot of downtown Los Angeles in the distance. It was a clear day because many days you can't see it because of the smog. When it's like this I'm reminded of The Emerald City and most of us are trying to get there (to work).

 

My World Tuesday - Downtown Los Angeles

These are by no means "pretty pictures" but if you're a crafts person like me they'll be a wonder to your eyes. Part of downtown Los Angeles is what I call Buyer's Paradise where you can buy just about any and everything as discount. It's located in and around the garment district and you can buy luggage, toys, fabric, beads and jewelry making supplies, shoes, wedding and party supplies and flowers and floral supplies.

My post is focusing in on my favorite area that sells fabric and craft goodies.


In today's high priced market you can still find fabric for $1.00 a yard. You can find everything for sewing - fabric, thread, appliques, lace, ribbons, buttons, zippers - all at prices you would love!



Imagine blocks and blocks and blocks of stores with all of these goodies inside, all just waiting to be bought, taken home and played with by a creative soul.


This is not only a part of my actual world but my personal crafting world.



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My World Tuesday #6

One of the things I miss about not working in downtown L.A. any more is the flower mart. Whenever it was someone's birthday at work I used to go down to the flower mart before work and for $20 or less I could buy enough flowers to fill two vases and have a couple on my own desk. I went this morning. :-)


If you notice in the picture below the green signs hanging from the ceiling. Each sign is a different flower vendor and they go back as far as you can see in the picture and beyond.


These are just a few of the close-up shots I took:



It was so difficult trying to figure out which flowers I wanted to buy but I finally decided on these (the ones below), plus and bunch of purple carnations. I filled two vases at home and all for the decent price of $14.00.


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My World Tuesday #1

LOL! Just realized I'm really early on this. It's only Monday. Oh well, this will serve as early notice to get your pics ready to post!

My World Tuesday is a new meme hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Wren, Fishing Guy Tom over at Show Your World. I'm glad I had just enough time before running off to jury duty to do this post. This is just a glimpse of a small part of downtown Los Angeles. These pictures are from the area I used to work on Grand Avenue.

This is the building I used to work in, California Plaza tower one. This was taken from the lower plaza area where there is a post office, Starbucks, flower shop, a few places to eat including Panda Express and a wonderful watercourt complete with waterfall and watershow that can be cleared out for a stage on which they have musical entertainment in the summer. Wish I had shots of that area.


This is dancing water fountain that greets you as you walk down the steps to the lower plaza level between the two towers.


This is Disney Concert Hall just a block down the street. When they first built this (and I watched it go up), the building was so shiny they tenants in the apartment building complained about the glare. They had to do something to tone down the shine, I'm just assuming they used some monster brillo pads.


And this the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion directly across the street from the Disney Concert Hall. If you look on the left across the street you can see a part of the sign. This has been the home of the Emmy Awards for many years and hosts many musicals. I saw "The Wiz" there as a kid and I'll always remember the Phantom of The Opera signs hanging for a long time.

Old Photos

Just thought I'd post a couple of old pics I took. Man, I must have taken these 20 years ago but I still think they came out great! The first two are pictures of The Bonaventure Hotel and buildings in downtown Los Angeles. The other is a picture of the channel down at between Dock Wheiler Beach and Marina Del Rey.