Well, here we are again.
Another week, another collection of things I probably didn’t need to add to my already chaotic life.
Between graduate school, building my photography business, raising kids, and trying to convince my body to cooperate, things have been interesting.
And apparently, today I’m bringing home a potentially haunted doll.
Because that’s exactly what my life needed. 😂
Meet Ruby Jane (And Pray She Behaves)
So, I have a new addition coming to the household.
Her name is Ruby Jane.
She’s an antique doll, she’s adorable, and I’m approximately 87% convinced she’s haunted.
Now, before anyone asks why a grown woman who already has enough going on would willingly bring a potentially possessed doll into her home, I have a perfectly reasonable explanation.
Homework.
Yes. Graduate school has officially reached the point where I’m buying antique dolls for photography assignments.
I’m supposed to be creating art, not starring in the next installment of The Conjuring, but apparently we’re going to see how this plays out.
I’m picking Ruby Jane up today, and I have absolutely no idea what kind of adventures we’re about to have.
I’m hoping for some beautiful, atmospheric photographs.
I’m preparing for the possibility that she changes positions when nobody’s looking.
And if she starts whispering my name in the middle of the night, she can finish my MFA herself.
Honestly, she might be better at meeting deadlines than I am.
Stay tuned. Ruby Jane may be getting her own photography series.
Assuming she lets me live long enough to finish it.
Simply Seen Is Getting Busy!
On the business side of things, October is shaping up to be an exciting month for Simply Seen by Sina!
I’m preparing to photograph a local Halloween community festival, and I’m really looking forward to meeting more families in the area.
There’s something special about capturing those little moments. The excitement, the costumes, the laughter, and all the memories that families might otherwise forget.
Of course, behind the scenes, that means equipment preparation, planning, organizing, and making sure everything is ready to go.
Which also means I’ve probably spent entirely too much time looking at photography equipment online.
It’s a business expense.
That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
And then there’s Til Death Do Us Part, my Halloween-themed elopement event on October 31!
Because apparently I wasn’t content with just photographing Halloween.
I needed to marry people on Halloween, too.
Honestly, I love it.
Weddings don’t have to be elaborate or traditional to be meaningful. Sometimes the most memorable celebrations are the ones that reflect a couple’s personality.
And if that personality involves a little Halloween magic, I’m all for it.
After all, love doesn’t have to follow a rulebook.
P.S. We still have openings if you’d love a Halloween Wedding in a Pioneer Village!
The Family Heirloom Nobody Asked For
And now, for the latest installment of What Is My Body Doing Now?
High blood pressure.
Yep.
After 45 years of perfectly respectable blood pressure readings, my body has apparently decided it was time to participate in another family tradition.
Hypertension.
I’m pretty sure Nannie passed that torch down, and somehow it landed directly in my lap.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I would have happily accepted her jewelry, her sewing supplies, her recipes, or literally ANYTHING else.
But no.
Apparently, we’re keeping the hypertension tradition alive. 😂
So now I have a brand-new prescription, a doctor keeping an eye on things, and another reason to wonder what exactly my body thinks it’s doing.
Between rheumatoid arthritis, perimenopause, and now blood pressure issues, I’m beginning to suspect my warranty expired at 45.
And the customer service department?
Completely useless.
No refunds. No exchanges. Not even store credit.
At this point, I feel like my body is playing medical bingo, and I’m dangerously close to filling the entire card.
Nannie would probably get a kick out of that one.
Although I do wish she’d chosen a slightly less dramatic inheritance.
Just Another Day in My World
So that’s where things stand right now.
I’m working toward my MFA, preparing for photography events, planning Halloween weddings, and apparently welcoming an antique doll into my home.
Oh, and monitoring my blood pressure.
Because why not?
Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have a quiet, uneventful week.
Then I remember that I’d probably get bored and find another project.
Maybe that’s just who I am.
I love creating things, telling stories, meeting people, and finding beauty in the unexpected.
Even when the unexpected comes with a prescription bottle or a doll that looks like she knows something I don’t.
Thanks for following along with the chaos and supporting Simply Seen by Sina as it grows.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a doll to pick up.
If you don’t hear from me again, check Ruby Jane.
