Sheila Bocchine, Photographer

Forgot to post these! Each year the paper publishes the most embellished holiday homes and I am a sucker for lights! I just love them! I forget the details of this home now, but there were lots of lights, lots of vintage Christmas items and many many many handmade wooden characters! This exposure was about 20 minutes and it was COLD! Yes, it does get cold in Phoenix. I kept running back to my car to get warm and then running to protect my camera when someone else drove up. This house was in North Phoenix… around Shea and 30th Street I believe…. somewhere up there…. maybe it was off Greenway… When I was a kid, Goofy was my personal favorite!

This week has not been very exciting. I’ve been at home sleeping off bronchitis and an ear infection… not as much fun as it sounds. Ear infections are for little kids. Seriously. Even the paperwork the doctor gave me said if the child is under 1 to breastfeed and if the child is over 1 to make sure they drink lots of water, kool-aid and eat Popsicles.

I have been drinking lots of water, but only because I have a goal of one gallon per day.

I have watched a few movies this week:
*Blades of Glory was pretty funny, not something I would normally choose myself, but I laughed out loud quite a few times…and laughing out loud lead to coughing fits. Ha.
*Connie and Carla was excellent! In fact I LOVED IT! I have this year long documentary I’m dying to start but won’t be able to do as long as I have a job. So the costumes in the show made me happy while I was leaving a indent in the couch.
*Sideways. That was a great movie. Great story, great scenery, almost made me want to love wine.
*I Robot was interesting. I wonder if that could really happen… and will we all have robots like that in the future? Will robots be serving us beer in bars and cooking for us?
*Pirates of the Carribbean Part Two. So so good! I am dying to see part three now. Does anyone who own it want to let me borrow it? I couldn’t believe two ended like it did. I can’t remember one, but I remember liking it… in fact it was the last movie I watched in the house I grew up in. That’s a strange thought to remember.

In August Gary and I will be headed to gorgeous Santa Barbara to watch the awesomeness that is Radiohead! All week long I checked their website, I followed the pre-sale ticket sales…. I knew I was going to get two tickets to see Radiohead, seriously one of the most incredible bands ever. I was ready, even called ahead to know what buttons to press to get in as soon as I could…. and the website was up on my laptop… ready for the buy button to be pressed. I WAS READY! and still wasn’t able to secure my tickets in the 30 seconds it took for it sell out. So I did what any fan would do, I spent $400 on two tickets from one of those sites. Santa Barbara bowl is pretty small so any seat would be a good seat. I’m happy with the section I bought. We’re right in the middle and not in the last section. Most of the tickets I was finding were on the sides and in the back…. I’ve heard that it overlooks the ocean…. so watching Radiohead and smelling the salty ocean air will be heavenly. Gary has never seen them so this is going to be a super treat for him!

I made the steps to start my new business. I had a lot of time to think this past week, you know, while sitting on the couch and all and a dream of mine has finally been put into action! I absolutely adore sending mail… or as I call it, sending love through the mail. I also really want my pinholes to be affordable without limiting my chances to pinhole fame and stardom… so behold my brilliant idea about 8 years in the making! I’ve started selling my pinholes in the form of colorful postcards! I made a bunch last week and sent them out… doing the preliminary research right now to see how they hold up in the mail. I have found sites that sell the few materials I need, am still looking for wholesale options.

But this idea isn’t complete without the non-profit that goes along with it. I want to get a group of people together that love sending postcards as much as I do and each month announce a new person in need of some love through the mail. I’m still figuring out the logistics but how much happier would that person be when they start receiving 100′s of postcards full of love and happiness in the mail! All that positive energy is sure to make them better faster!

I am going to price my postcards at $5 each. They are handmade and they are real pinhole photographs so I believe that is great price. I’m an avid card buyer and have been known to spend even more $$$ on cards, so I believe for this piece of postcard mail art the price is ideal.

I’m already picturing them in boutiques across the country! I’m already picturing numerous sales from my etsy store daily. It’s going to be amazing and perfect and a dream come true. I will be sure to let you know more when the details are in place. Today I am working on finishing the website and ordering the photos for my first batch of postcards!

Intentions:
Today I intend to make a lot of headway on my website.
Today I intend to order the prints for the postcards.
Today I intend to get rest so that I can go back to work tomorrow healthy and happy.

Instead of pinholes today I am posting two family photos from my parents trip last week.

This was my mom’s first trip to the glorious place that is Gelato Spot! I could eat gelato every single day! Personally I have a ritual. I always get a scoop of coconut on the bottom, I sample a few others and decide on a new flavor as my second top scoop. During this particular trip I had tiramisu. Which was good, but not as good as coconut, which is why coconut is on the bottom, so I can savor my favorite last. (Sabrina my sister, Me, Mom and Dad)

The first Thursday my family was here we had a bbq at my apartment. I do love the sunflare in this photograph. I stole these photos from my sister’s myspace. Can you believe that I did take any photographs of them? We were so busy the whole time and my pinholes actually take time to do, that I didn’t take one pinhole. For that I am sad. (Sabrina, Mom, Me and Dad) (both photos are missing my brother Maximilian)

I cannot believe it is Monday already. Hence the title of this blog. My weekend was had in a daze and I could only hope for a few more days off.

Friday started off wonderfully! Gary and were driving to Phoenix for the opening at the Herberger Theater, I had photographs in the exhibit and he said, “So, I woke up this morning and decided to become a vegetarian”. We were driving and I had to control my excitement so he wouldn’t crash little daisy! BUT! I was and am still thrilled to bits with that information!

We have been so in sync lately. It’s the most spectacular feeling. On Wednesday morning I woke up and decided the same thing, but I have been an on again, off again vegetarian since I was 10 years old. One of the main reasons I was not a vegetarian for so long was because of Gary. We are a couple that likes to eat together. We take such pleasure in delicious food. He always made fun of me and we’re not talking playful fun… we’re talking full on mean make fun. He would give all sorts of statistics on why we would should eat meat and so forth. Gary’s favorite food was bacon. Yes, bacon. He could eat bacon on and with anything. He could eat a whole pound of it in one sitting. He LOVED bacon.

Ever since we started reading The Ringing Cedars Series, our whole beings have shifted for the better. I know I keep saying that when I write about those books, but they truly are the most amazing books ever written. I know those books are the sole reason for his shift into vegetarianism.

I didn’t tell him on Wednesday that I had become vegetarian again. I didn’t tell anyone. I’m learning, that not everyone needs to know everything I am doing. It’s a nice lesson I’ve been learning. So when he told me this new information! I just couldn’t contain my happiness! On Saturday morning we went to the Mandala Tearoom for brunch to celebrate our first day of being vegetarian together! They were playing our favorite Radiohead album, In Rainbows, and Gary had the BLT and I had the blue corn pancakes with a side of tempeh bacon. He ate all my bacon… and then ordered a second dish… and ate all of that too. We split a playful piece of blueberry/raspberry cake and sipped on refreshing ginger iced tea. It was the perfect way to celebrate our turning vegetarian together!

SO also on Friday night, I went to my friend Ashley’s brother house for an intenders circle. It was incredible. The energy in the room that night was amazing. I met this fascinating woman, Tracy, she’s an interior decorator and she sells this amazing chocolate that is GOOD FOR YOU!!!! Just three pieces a day and you gain all these health benefits. She turned some into fondue and I dipped a strawberry into it! YUMMY!!!! Chocolate that is healthy for you! Sign me up! The back of her business card even has 22 reasons why you should consume Dark Chocolate… like I needed 22 reasons! ha! She said she noticed that her skin looks healthier after a month of eating the chocolate. Tracy is gorgeous to begin with, her hair reminds me of Marilyn Monroe and she definitely has great style!

The intender’s circle was an interesting thing for me. Now that I get how it works, next time will be even better for me. I wasn’t really sure what to say or do when it was my turn… but next time! Watch out! I have so much to be grateful for, and I only said three things on Friday night… I also said that I intended to read book three and four of the series over the weekend…. welllll that didn’t happen either… oh well. I did read some. I LOVED hearing what everyone was grateful for and what they were intending. I am already looking forward to the next circle on the 18th of April. If you’re interested in going, let me know and I’ll give you directions. You’ll be among incredible people and incredible energy. I love the feeling of non stop smiling, and this circle produced one of those evenings… well, the opening that started the evening also helped… and the fact that Gary told me he is now a vegetarian!!!!

Did anyone watch The Simpsons last night? It was so, so, so, so good! One of the best I’ve seen in a while! It was brilliant, only in the way The Simpson’s could be. I went to high school, graduated in 1998, and started college in the 90′s, so that episode brought back SO MANY MEMORIES! I loved the story line and the soundtrack of the episode and all the funny throwbacks. That is definitely an episode that I cannot wait to see again!

My Intentions:
Today I intend to mail 4 cards (birthday, thank you and hello)
Today I intend to enjoy myself at Uncle Ziggy’s Birthday Party
Today I intend to wish these allergies away with copious amounts of water
I intend to start a new project at a hidden gem I found in Old Town Scottsdale on Saturday morning.
I intend to finish Book Three of the Ringing Cedars
I intend to book 2-3 weddings a month
I intend to also book at least 4 other photography jobs a month
I intend to make a living as photographer with my other love, Gary!

On a gorgeous day in December we photographed the wedding of Yesenia and Rafael. They married in a beautiful Catholic Church in North Phoenix. Following the wedding we headed to one of our favorite locations, The Japanese Friendship Gardens for photographs and then to a very secluded spot on a curvy road near the Biltmore.

Their reception was was full of life with dancing, two bands, one a mariachi and the other playing Spanish music complete with a blaring horns section. It was the first time I had seen a money dance, and watching Rafael glide across the floor wearing clown sized Chuck Taylors was a wonderful sight to see.

This particular image is on the secluded spot on the greens near the Biltmore. I’ve been doing a lot more with having my subjects move very slowly. I really like the way those pinholes are turning out. I’m a little behind on pinholes, these are from December! Maybe tomorrow instead of one, I’ll post a few.

Have you heard of Yelp.com? I recently started reviewing some of my favorite places and as you all know, I definitely enjoy the local businesses of Phoenix. A funny turn of events started yesterday afternoon and are continuing right now. Someone started a thread all about me! I’m over being upset about it and now I just think it’s really funny! I’ve never been involved in any internet bashing! It’s kind of exciting, it’s definitely a first for me. If you want to read the thread, check it out here.

If you want to review four white walls photography, since many of you have had your photographs taken by myself or Gary, you can do so here.

Sorry for such a short blog.  I promise I will write a lengthy one with dreamy thoughts soon.

Oh Weddings! I love photographing them! One big, long, happy party! This is Yesenia and Rafael. They married in North Phoenix at a beautiful church after which we took them to the Japanese Friendship Gardens for a photo shoot. This was before we were kicked out. The part that gets me is that they let us pay to get in. CLEARLY she was a bride and he was a groom. While we were photographing them, the director of the park told us we had to pay $100 an hour or we had to leave. I had just spent ten minutes setting up the most perfect pinhole image and was not able to expose it. She escorted us out. HA! Oh the trouble photographers cause. I’m just not sure why they didn’t tell us that at the gate, before we paid to get in.

So my parents have left Arizona… without buying a house. At least they found an area of town they liked and have a pretty good idea what certain prices will get them. Those are important bits of information to know the answers to.

I took them to dinner last night at Two Hippies Magic Mushroom Burgers. It was pretty tasty. While we waited we had the potato skins. My family all had burgers and Gary and I had hot dogs. I haven’t had a hot dog in a LOOOONG time and it was delish! They apparently make their hot dogs and hamburgers there. I’m not really sure what that means, but it sounds good. I also split a root beer last night! yum! I don’t drink soda but occasionally a few times a year I will have a root beer. It was cheep and tasty, and was all hippied out inside, so I think I will definitely go back when I’m in the area.

THEN! We took my parents to The Gelato Spot. SO SO SO good!!! I always get a scoop of coconut, and something else, but coconut must always be on the bottom so I can savor it last. My other scoop last night was tiramisu, which was excellent, but definitely not in the same category as coconut. Coconut gelato is in a category by it self. Nothing, and I mean nothing could beat it!

My intentions:
Today I intend to answer a lot of emails.
Today I intend to work on my website.
Today I intend to get LOTS OF reviews on Yelp. If you would like to give me a review, here is your chance.
I intend to have a solo show at a well known gallery in 2008.
I intend to photograph 2-3 weddings a month.
I intend to make my most fabulous living from doing photography.

Have a super wonderful day!