Demonstrate the richness and complexity

Heading out to vote in the primary election should be the top priority for Americans, but taking photos of your polling place should be the second priority for designers. In a campaign called Design for Democracy the AIGA - the professional association for design - is working to “demonstrate the value of design by doing valuable things.” Working with different government agencies to redesign the voting experience, the AIGA hopes to improve the interactions between US citizens and their government. Designers across the country can contribute to the cause by documenting their voting experience and submitting photos to The New York Times Polling Place Photo Project.

"The Polling Place Photo Project is a nationwide experiment in citizen journalism that encourages voters to capture, post and share photographs of this year’s primaries, caucuses and general election. By documenting local voting experiences, participants can contribute to an archive of photographs that captures the richness and complexity of voting in America."

Tomorrow is Super Tuesday and I plan to vote and document it and submit the results!

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Polling Place Photo Project: how to participate.

Between rainstorms

On a relaxing Sunday morning in between relentless rainstorms I snapped a sunny self portrait with my handsome Henry.

Taunting the relatives

There's nothing like being able to say, "I went to the beach today." I love to say that when my freezing friends and family call to complain about the frigid temperatures of the East. Mind you it was only 60 degrees at Del Mar dog beach today, but I still didn't have to wear a Thinsulate lined coat, two scarves, mittens, a hat and other miscellaneous cold weather accouterments.

How could you not love that face? Look at all those excited paw prints in the sand. Escape from the cold seems to be a necessary factor. Dooce and her family are fleeing the bitter Utah cold and coming to our wonderful micro climate and are especially excited about the doggy paradise.

Henry and Lola were so excited to get to the beach. I swear Henry knows the freeway exit. Once we got there and took off their leashes they were so excited, they ran and jumped and came back to thank us.

Henry surveyed the world.

And finally recovered from her sick tummy, Lola was having a blast.

Here she is shaking off.

We had a great time. I did have to wear a hat, but a hat while wearing flip-flops is not THAT bad.

14 degrees? No thanks.

This week I started my vegetable garden, planted sweet peas, hand picked tangerines, oranges and lemons, and enjoyed the blooming desert plants in my garden all while the East Coast enjoys a blast of Arctic air.

Here's my babies enjoying the sunshine. Making sure I don't do anything rash like suddenly whip Milkbones out of my pockets or hop the fence to play with a coyote, Henry carefully guards my every move.

Here's Lola (did I mention she's shedding because it's so warm?) enjoying the sunshine, chasing lizards and just being gorgeous.

Now we're off to dog beach. I'll take my camera along just in case I didn't get my point across.

One for Mom

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