The Flickr Phenomenon.

 

You're here. You know what I'm talking about. Now the question is- what makes all of us come back, day after day after day....?

 

What makes us ignore that load of laundry and joyfully give up control of the TV remote? What holds us in a hypnotic state of wonder while the chaos of reality keeps beckoning? What keeps us in that perpetual cycle of capturing, uploading, joining, posting and favoriting? (Sheesh... Is "favoriting" even a word?)

 

I think I know the answer. It's something that every photo we view and every photo we capture graciously allows us, professionals and amateurs alike. It's global, primal and comprehensive among us. It's the innate desire...

  

 

 

  

And now: The Footnotes After the Photos...

 

I Am:

 

...Constantly amazed by everything around me- and I am never without a digital camera. I will come to a dead stop on a freeway if I see something inspiring or beautiful. (On the coast of California, I just end up erecting a cot in the middle of the road.)

  

...Obsessed with Target, the MoMA store, Ikea, and Anthropologie. In my mind, each has a two hour minimum and 300.00+ “cover charge”.

  

...Completely intrigued by everyone I meet. If you’re a friend of a friend, please say “hi”! If I went to school with you or worked with you in a previous career life, definitely say “hi”! If you’re just randomly cruising Flickr photos, you can say “hi”, too. I have an uncanny ability to find redeeming factors in anyone. ;)

  

...Looking forward to getting older, living by the ocean, having long silver hair, and wearing lots of turquoise.

  

...Strangely addicted to browsing for hours in huge book stores- do NOT take me there… you WILL cuss.

  

...The first person that my friends will call to gather, analyze, and decipher EVERY single word that was said, and then break it down into subcategories which we will diagram and discuss in order, until all reasonable and unreasonable conclusions have been reached and agreed upon. It’s a gift. It’s “what I do”. ;)

  

...Scared of clowns. There’s something just so sick and wrong with the whole concept.

  

...Not who people think I am from first impressions- I don’t wear designers because they are trendy, I wear them because the fabric feels good or because that label makes my butt look cute… I’m also not critiquing your house in my head just because that’s what I do for a living… but I will absolutely judge you based on your reaction/words when I ask: “Are you a ‘cat person’?” :)

  

...Immune to any form of marketing or hype. Don’t come at me with a sales pitch, don’t feed me canned superstars or musicians, and don’t try to lie to me… I may actually be entertained by any or all of the above, but I will be slyly smiling inside as I’m simply not able to be manipulated.

  

...Sickened by the fact that I wasted so much time before I got “aligned”- I finally know that I’m absolutely in the right place at the right time doing the right thing… all the time. Divinity!

  

...Probably the only person you know who stood on a sidewalk in New York City at one in the morning and chatted up Tom Cruise for fifteen minutes. (Circa 1999: before scientology sprayed some butter on a skillet and cooked his brain up over-easy…)

  

...Wishing that my Mom could have lived to see the rest of my story.

  

...The only person who watches “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” and lusts after the DÉCOR, not the actors…

  

...Wondering exactly what kind of people would actually call a “chat line”…. Sheesh.

  

...Noticing that almost every incredibly creative person I know stays up very, very late… what’s that about?

  

...Convinced that there’s a novel inside me somewhere… I’ll get back to you on that-- I’m sure I’ll put a Facebook page up for it. ;)

  

Also, as an interior decorator, I am most certainly a

  

  

Me: In Quotes

 

Leap, and the net will appear.

-Zen Saying

 

If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve the man, but it would deteriorate the cat.

-Mark Twain

 

If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right.

-Henry Ford

 

We all share the same world, but we don't all SEE the same world.

-Ernie Hudson

 

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body- but rather skidding sideways, Chardonnay in one hand, strawberries in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming- "Woohoo! What a RIDE!"

-Unknown

  

::::: Please feel free to feverishly blog my photos or use them in other media- most of them are under a Creative Commons license. If you have little ads on your blog (like AdSense or Etsy shops, etc.) I would hardly consider that "commercial use"... so blog away! However, if you're going to use them for a Virgin Mobile billboard- I'd have to say "no" unless there's a big, honkin' check in my mailbox. :) Please credit photo to "Champagne Chic Interiors" and link back to my photo page... If you have a sec, send me a note, too! Thanks! :) :::::