CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-02-19 04:46:50 (36 comments, 0 reshares, 27 +1s)

Oh hi there...
So I took a little break.  I removed myself from all social media for the past few months while dealing with some personal stuff. I'm feeling somewhat better, and will hopefully be around a bit, however I will still be limiting my online time. To those who tried to reach out while I was away, I'm sorry for the lack of response, I had turned all notifications off. Thank you for your concern though, I do appreciate your kindness.

2012-10-24 04:09:38 (15 comments, 0 reshares, 35 +1s)

Disheveled.  Disorganized. Time-challenged.  Sleep-deprived.  Slightly depraved.  Something's gotta give, and after a lot of thought, I've decided that it has to be G+, for a while anyway.  I'm taking a break, which may be a week, or may be much longer, I'll see how it goes.
I'm sorry if I have missed any comments lately, between unreliable notifications and the complete fuck-up of the G+ iOS apps with the most recent updates.
If anyone is interested, I'll still be posting iPhone pics to Instagram (startergirl) - it's much quicker, which suits me just now ;-).

2012-10-20 21:02:22 (10 comments, 0 reshares, 41 +1s)

The lighting was a bit too harsh, but I couldn't resist this little squirrel eating her apple among the colourful fall leaves.
For #squirrelsaturday  with thanks to +Skippy Sheeskin and +Beth Blackwell.

2012-10-20 02:05:32 (20 comments, 1 reshares, 39 +1s)

Well, it has taken me a while to work up the courage to even look at this photo, much less post it.  
A couple of weeks ago, I was in my back yard, innocently taking photos of squirrels, when the sky went dark and I heard a strange whirring sound, accompanied by a flash of bright light.  I was momentarily blinded and closed my eyes.  When I opened them, the landscape around me was altered, bathed in colours of gold and red, and the terrain was changed.  Some things appeared familiar, such as scraggly trees, but nothing felt right or real.  Then I saw the spaceship, floating silently above.  Near me, I saw... him... or it... walking up some rocky stairs from a pit in the ground that hadn't been there before.  Feeling for my phone, I was able to take one photo of the frighteningly thin green form, somewhat humanoid, but... not.  Very tall, naked, an odd shade of green, with a bony round headatop a ... more »

2012-10-19 20:37:06 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 23 +1s)

Going simple for #featherfriday   #macrofeatherfriday   with thanks to +E.E. Giorgi and +Robin Griggs Wood. This little feather is about 21/2" and is likely from a mourning dove.

2012-10-19 20:00:25 (6 comments, 2 reshares, 21 +1s)

For #iphoneographyfriday  with thanks to +Christianna Pierce and +Jose Vazquez, and for #moc   #mobileonlycircle  with thanks to +Emily Santome.
I am not usually good at keeping track of my workflow, but I actually took the time to write it down this time:
Photo taken with iPhone 4S using 6x6 app in black and white.
Snapseed: Drama filter + 13
Grunge filter: style 1152, Texture 1 - Brightness 0, Contrast + 25, Texture Strength + 45, Saturation + 50
Center Focus filter: Old Lens, Blur + 40, Strong
Save from Snapseed, take into PicFX and apply Light Leak: White leak, slider at about 50%; PFX Film set: Grain, slider at about 75%
#iphoneography   #iphoneonly   #mobilography   #6x6   #snapseed   #picfx  

2012-10-19 18:07:11 (9 comments, 1 reshares, 24 +1s)

For #powerlinefriday  +Powerline Friday with thanks to +Natosha Davis, and for #ExtremeProcessingFriday  with thanks to +Charles Strebor.

2012-10-19 18:04:12 (10 comments, 0 reshares, 24 +1s)

Some cemetery fungus for #fungusfriday  with thanks to +Dan Bowden and +Chris Sullivan.

2012-10-19 02:46:57 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 12 +1s)

"Whirlwind"

These leaves were stuck to a porch screen during a recent storm.

I'm still trying to learn the Laminar app. For this photo taken on the iPhone 4 and processed on the new iPad, I selected Laminar's radial blur effect at 100%, followed by the splatter texture at 50%.

Then I slightly bumped the saturation in iPhoto.

#MOC

2012-10-19 02:18:05 (20 comments, 6 reshares, 51 +1s)

For #mobileartphotography , with thanks to +Jimmie Fisher, and for #moc   #mobileonlycircle  +Mobile Only Circle with thanks to +Emily Santome.
Photo taken with iPhone 4S, Hipstamatic using Roboto Glitter lens and BlacKeys SuperGrain film, processed with Noir and Alien Sky.
#iphoneography   #iphoneonly   #mobilography   #hipstamatic   #robotoglitter   #blackeyssupergrain   #noir   #aliensky  

2012-10-18 06:38:41 (8 comments, 1 reshares, 15 +1s)

I kind of forgot that G+ forces you to crop profile photos... this is the original, which I prefer.  Oh well.

2012-10-18 15:42:38 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

2012-10-17 22:26:59 (8 comments, 2 reshares, 20 +1s)

More cemetery leaves, this time with iPhone.  For #moc   #mobileonlycircle  with thanks to +Emily Santome.  Photo taken with iPhone 4S using Olloclip fisheye lens, 6x6 camera app, processed with Glaze.
#iphoneography   #mobilography   #olloclip   #fisheye   #6x6   #glaze  

2012-10-17 21:50:50 (4 comments, 2 reshares, 16 +1s)

A sheepish contribution for #onthefencewednesday  +On The Fence Wednesday for +Natosha Davis.
The grass IS greener on the goat's side!  No fair!

2012-10-17 03:07:24 (10 comments, 2 reshares, 35 +1s)

I saw an Akita today who reminded me of my boy, William, and made me ache with missing my dogs ❤.  I haven't been sleeping well for months, so I'm actually going to try to get a good night's sleep tonight.  Sorry to post and run, I just don't have any energy left today.
For #treetuesday  with thanks to +Shannon S. Myers and +Christina Lawrie.

2012-10-16 06:01:56 (38 comments, 3 reshares, 17 +1s)

(This will undoubtedly be the weirdest post I ever make on G+)
+Chris Mallory, the stakes are high now with the Top 10 list being published... competition is about to get fierce!  So I figured that not having participated with photos of hyperparasitism might count against me... not to mention the bitch-slap talk...
I'm not squeamish about much, but I have to admit that the parasitoid larvae in caterpillars just freak me out!  So I did not go looking for examples.  Then I stumbled across this, and imagine my horror to see these lovely little caterpillars parasitized by the most unusual multi-coloured larvae! Yuck!!
So I ate them.

2012-10-13 07:16:20 (15 comments, 2 reshares, 20 +1s)

For #mobileartphotography  with thanks to +Jimmie Fisher.
#iphoneography   #iphoneonly   #mobilography   #6x6   #touchretouch   #blender   #snapseed   #scratchcam   #processtheshitoutofit  

2012-10-13 01:13:36 (4 comments, 2 reshares, 17 +1s)

For #iphoneographyfriday  with thanks to +Christianna Pierce and +Jose Vazquez.  Shot with iPhone 4S using Hipstamatic with Helga Viking lens and Rock BW-11 film.
#iphoneography   #mobilography   #hipstamatic   #helgaviking   #rockbw11   #streetphotography  
She leads the way

2012-10-13 00:49:09 (6 comments, 3 reshares, 22 +1s)

Burning up for #powerlinefriday  with thanks to the awesome +Natosha Davis!
+Powerline Friday 
#iphoneography   #processtheshitoutofit  

2012-10-12 18:31:11 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

Sometimes I just feel despair for the human race.  I don't understand the sadistic pleasure some take in making others' lives miserable.
For Amanda Todd, I'm so sorry that people were so cruel to you, and made you feel that this world had nothing to offer you.  RIP dear girl.
#stopbullying  

2012-10-12 01:48:19 (13 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

I was excited to download the updates for the G+ mobile apps yesterday - finally, search function on iPad!! - but now it appears the the updates (for iOS anyway) broke the apps! I keep getting "failed to fetch posts" and "failed to fetch notifications" errors. Tried signing out and signing back in, had to try that 3 times on each device before I was even signed in, only to get the same errors. Tried deleting and reinstalling, that didn't help either. I hope it is fixed soon...

2012-10-11 23:08:28 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 4 +1s)

As temperatures fall, can we please think of our furry friends who cant stay warm through the night? Not all are lucky as our pets to find someone who loves them dearly and provides them with safe shelter through the night
#cats #strays #pets  

2012-10-11 02:42:15 (8 comments, 1 reshares, 21 +1s)

The focus isn't great because this little guy wouldn't stay still at all!  Shot with iPhone 4S using Olloclip macro lens, Hipstamatic using Chunky lens and Sugar film.
For #bugseveryday  +Chris Mallory.
Just tryin' to stay in Chris's G+ Survivor circle...

2012-10-11 02:03:26 (5 comments, 3 reshares, 18 +1s)

Classic Italian Style... for #streetphotography  with thanks to +Tatiana Parmeeva +Thorsten von Eyb and +Maria Roco and for #streetpics .
#Toronto   #cne   #monochrome  

2012-10-11 00:54:18 (4 comments, 2 reshares, 20 +1s)

For #onthefencewednesday  with thanks to +Natosha Davis

2012-10-10 18:26:12 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 18 +1s)

A little swamp bokeh with your grass?
For #grasspoker  with thanks to +David Murphy +Steve Sherwin and +Jules Falk Hunter.

2012-10-10 03:05:47 (6 comments, 1 reshares, 28 +1s)

Sometimes
I want to drain the world of its colour
suck the blood from its veins
lick the lusty earth from my lips
and swallow
and swallow
and swallow
Until I feel alive

For #treetuesday  with thanks to +Shannon S. Myers and +Christina Lawrie.

2012-10-06 17:55:38 (15 comments, 0 reshares, 19 +1s)

For a little Halloween squirrel fun, here's little Witchy Wanda brewing up a potion.   #squirrelsaturday  with thanks to +Skippy Sheeskin and +Beth Blackwell

2012-10-11 02:30:48 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

Added photos to Phoneography October 2012 Challenge - Leafs of Autumn.

2012-10-06 03:49:12 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

Do you have favourite words?  One of my favourites is redemption.  I like the way it feels in my mouth, I like the way it sounds, and I like its meaning.  I hope that redemption is possible... not in a religious way, but through atonement, and genuine remorse for actions that have harmed others.  I see redemption as coming from within oneself, not something that can be offered externally.  I haven't found it yet, but continue to hope.  May everyone find their own personal redemption.
re·demp·tion [ri-demp-shuhn]
noun
1. an act of redeeming  or the state of being redeemed.
2. deliverance; rescue.
3. Theology . deliverance from sin; salvation.
4. atonement for guilt.
5. repurchase, as of something sold.

The Frames
Your Face/Redemption Song

2012-10-06 03:14:49 (10 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

Knock knock  you there +Chris Mallory?
I don't mind a large group of badgers
~Chris Mallory, Oct. 5, 2012
I'm not so sure you'd want to hang out with a large group of honey badgers Chris...
Note for the squeamish:  This video shows a wild animal hunting and eating other wild animals, and can be considered graphic, nature being wild of tooth and claw
#badgersforchris  

2012-10-06 02:45:53 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

http://youtu.be/DN6bNk-bW6w

Death From Above 1979
Black History Month

Can you remember a time when this city was
A great place for architects and dilettantes
A nice place for midwives and crossing guards
And on, and on...

Hold on children
Your mother and father are leaving

Do you remember a time when this pool was
A great place for waterwings and cannonballs
A nice place for astrologists and blow up dolls
And on, and on...

Hold on children
Your best friend's parents are leaving

(before anyone asks, the song has nothing to do with Black History Month lyrically - it was simply written in Feb.)

2012-10-05 20:44:25 (11 comments, 1 reshares, 16 +1s)

For #iphoneographyfriday  with thanks to +Christianna Pierce and +Jose Vazquez, and for #paintography  with thanks to +Ray Bilcliff +Sherry McBriar and +Gail Beerman.  (pssst: looks best viewed large in lightbox)
Photo taken with iPhone 4S, 6x6 camera app, using Olloclip macro lens, processed in Glaze.
#iphoneography   #mobilography   #iphoneonly   #square   #6x6   #olloclip    #macro   #glaze  
Van Gogh lost his marbles

2012-10-05 18:57:39 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 25 +1s)

For #floralfriday  with thanks to +Tamara Pruessner.  When things are swaying in the wind as you try to photograph them, sometimes you just have to open wide and go with the blur!

2012-10-05 18:53:39 (9 comments, 2 reshares, 17 +1s)

Reflected powerlines for +Natosha Davis and #powerlinefriday . Can you find the Watcher Man?  (not just a trick to make you look at my photo in the lightbox, honestly)

2012-10-05 05:18:17 (21 comments, 5 reshares, 31 +1s)

For my favourite ogre, +Jimmie Fisher and the #mobileartphotography  theme.
Photo taken with iPhone 4S, 6x6 camera app, using Olloclip macro lens, processed in Percolator.
#iphoneography   #mobilography   #6x6   #olloclip   #macro   #percolator   #abstract  
If anyone is interested, I am now on Instagram, user name: startergirl.

2012-10-04 21:26:43 (21 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

<-----------    _peers in at Gplus suspiciously_
we still playing popularity games?
yes?
puts headphones on, cranks up the tunes, slinks out the back door
Later dudes!

Spinnerette
Ghetto Love

Hey now, there now,
It’s a game to be played out 
Amongst thieves of the heart 
And the whores of the ego

Hey now, there now
Kiss everyone’s ailments
See them rise up, 
Exalt and illuminate

Humanity is a deer in the headlights
The road is covered in blood
Free yourself with a dagger from above
A crossbow of faith 

You sold your heart for the primal experience
Gave up on love for a medal malevolence
You fill yourself with the fire of innocence
A karmic stain will bring back through the gates again

Oh how I wonder what will become, of us
I’m justa girl out ... more »

2012-10-04 04:53:40 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

There are moments when, even to the sober eye of Reason, the world of our sad Humanity may assume the semblance of a Hell - but the imagination of man is no Carathis, to explore with impunity its every cavern.  Alas! the grim legion of sepulchral terrors cannot be regarded as altogether fanciful - but, like the Demons in whose company Afrasiab made his voyage down the Oxus, they must sleep, or they will devour us - they must be suffered to slumber, or we perish.
The Premature Burial Edgar Allan Poe
#horror   #halloween   #processtheshitoutofit   #justbecause  

2012-10-03 21:37:16 (5 comments, 1 reshares, 18 +1s)

For #onthefencewednesday  with thanks to +Natosha Davis.

2012-10-03 05:23:22 (16 comments, 0 reshares, 18 +1s)

For #grasstuesday  with thanks to +Ray Bilcliff +Margaret Tompkins and +Marilou Aballe, and for #grasspoker  with thanks to +David Murphy +Steve Sherwin and +Jules Falk Hunter.

2012-10-03 02:05:37 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 15 +1s)

Three Dog Night One
One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do.
Two can be as bad as one,
it's the loneliest number since the number one.
No is the saddest experience you'll ever know.
Yes, it's the saddest experience you'll ever know.
http://youtu.be/UiKcd7yPLdU
For #lyricallyinspired  with thanks to +Jason Jakober and +Amanda Recker, and for #lonelychairtuesdays  with thanks to +Lauri Novak and +Rachel Tine.

2012-10-03 01:18:33 (9 comments, 1 reshares, 29 +1s)

For #treetuesday  with thanks to +Shannon S. Myers and +Christina Lawrie.

2012-10-01 22:14:41 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

Ok, food macro photography is harder than I anticipated!  This is the best I came up with for the "food" theme #macromonday  with thanks to +Kerry Murphy +Jennifer Eden and +Kelli Seeger Kim.  It is a simple grape tomato & feta cheese salad with herbed oil and vinegar dressing, yum!

2012-09-30 22:03:24 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 15 +1s)

For #sweetsunday  with thanks to +Michael Earley +Annie Irving +Celeste Odono and +Akhil Kalsh.

2012-09-30 05:35:19 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

I went to check on my porch spider guest a couple nights ago, and saw this little fellow clinging to the bricks near the light.  I felt really bad for him, as I would expect that missing one of the large legs would be quite problematic for a grasshopper??  He stayed in the same area for a couple of days, and this morning I noticed that he was gone.
For #disbuggered  week and #bugseveryday  with thanks to +Miss M and +Chris Mallory.

2012-09-30 05:02:17 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

Added photos to HACK THIS PHOTO - 09-28-2012 - Friday Night Hack featuring Julie Jamieson!.

2012-09-29 19:52:11 (13 comments, 0 reshares, 21 +1s)

Andy Squirrel is very popular with the girl squirrels... I mean, lookit that six-pack!!  Andy maintains his muscular physique with a strenuous daily workout, consisting of lots of climbing, leaping, scaling narrow poles to bird feeders, chin-ups on the perches of said bird feeders, and a host of other moves designed to stay fit and eat large quantities of bird seed at the same time.
For #squirrelsaturday  with thanks to  +Skippy Sheeskin and +Beth Blackwell.

2012-09-29 18:54:16 (7 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

Crokinole (pron. KROH-ki-nohl) is a game that was played a lot in my household.  We played on an old board that my dad had crafted at the age of 7!  (When I visit him at Thanksgiving, I'll take photos of it too.)  The game is a simple one: On a large round playing surface, players take turns flicking their pieces towards the center from the outer edge.  Your piece must touch at least one of your opponents' pieces on the way (unless there are  none on the board).  Getting one of your pieces to land in the center hole scores 20 points, and fewer points are awarded if your piece remains on the board (15, 10 or 5 points, depending how close to the center your piece is located).  The difficulty of getting your piece into the center hole is increased by the dastardly pegs screwed into the board in a circle around the hole.  Players also try to shoot their opponents' pieces off the board, whilehaving ... more »

2012-09-29 04:51:35 (11 comments, 1 reshares, 15 +1s)

I Drove All Night
"I had to escape
The city was sticky and cruel
Maybe I should have called you first
But I was dying to get to you
I was dreaming while I drove
The long straight road ahead, uh, huh

Could taste your sweet kisses
Your arms open wide
This fever for you is just burning me up inside"

http://youtu.be/LGSSu0U5iTU (Cyndi Lauper version)

A little bit late... but for the back-in-action #iphoneographyfriday  with hopes that our curators, +Christianna Pierce and +Jose Vazquez, had good summers and are rested and rejuvenated :-)
Also for #lyricallyinspired  with thanks to +Jason Jakober  and +Amanda Recker.

2012-09-29 04:12:32 (17 comments, 0 reshares, 15 +1s)

Cleverly posing as inanimate blow-up dolls at the busy fair, the alien invaders abducted untold numbers of innocent humans.  With a flash of light and an almost inaudible popping sound, a child who had stopped to poke at this alien disappeared before my eyes!  With a brief nod in the direction of the girl's parents, the alien wiped their memories of their daughter, so that they carried on with their day with no panic or feelings of loss, just a slightly bemused air of having forgotten some little detail...
For #alienabductionfriday  with thanks to +Alex Lapidus +Karl Geiger +Karl Geiger Jr +Heiko Mahr +Jon Beall and +Michele Cornelius.