2008 December | Kyle Hepp

December 31, 2008

We got shot…by professional photographers. Wow, what an experience to be on the other side of the camera. It was weird, but fun and definitely a good learning process.

Those of you who know me are probably aware that I wasn’t thrilled with my wedding pictures. Actually, I LOVED my entire wedding, except for the photos and the cake. So these are like the wedding pictures we never had. I am so thrilled with how they came out. We told Candice and Mark, the amazing talented photographers who took the photos, that we like stylish, unique and cool pictures as opposed to the more romantic, lovey-dovey stuff (which I actually really like shooting for my own clients, but it’s just not my personal style). And they did such a good job of capturing our style. That’s why I’m so happy. I feel like the pictures are very much us — non-traditional, fun, and a little crazy.

This was the BEST Christmas present ever… It was my gift to us because I just wanted a few pictures of when we’re still young and not that wrinkly or fat yet. Living out the best days of my youth with S. is something I cherish, and now we have some memories of these times on paper.

And all photos were taken at University of Tampa, where I went to school, or in Ybor City, a historic old Cuban neighborhood in Tampa, so that just made the shoot even more special. Below are a few of the images that I’m in love with, but check out Candice and Mark’s photography blog where you can see the photos larger…plus there are like twenty more photos from our shoot and a whole lot of other engagement sessions and weddings that they’ve done. Total eye candy all over their site, those two are AMAZING.

My FAVORITE!

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December 23, 2008

I met Brooke Hogan tonight! And I saw Nick and Hulk Hogan as well as the Hulk’s very young girlfriend, but we didn’t talk to them.

She was very nice and polite and didn’t seem to mind taking a picture.

I write about celebrities for a living, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen one in real life. I have to say that all that bullshit about “Celebs - They’re just like us!” is so not true. They’re not just like us. When I go to the mall my hair and makeup are not perfect. I don’t have a fake tan and fake boobs. I can’t just walk into Burberry and Gucci and buy whatever I want. And people don’t follow me around gawking or ask for my picture.

Random tidbit — I am 5′4″ and in this photo I was wearing 4″ inch heels. Sooooo…at 5′8″ I barely come up past Brooke Hogan’s boobs. Also, in case you can’t tell she is even more fit and toned in person than she looks in all the photos I’ve ever seen of her. She looked amazing, I was really impressed — she must work out all the time.

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December 15, 2008

My mother is a graceful gazelle-like human being. Today we were at the start of what was supposed to be an 8 mile run. What happened next is a bit of a shocker for someone like her.

Please, only scroll down if looking at bloody gross things don’t make you squeamish…

Rita fell tripped and ate sidewalk for dinner. Her knee, hands and shoulder are also bloodied up. EWWWWW.

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December 12, 2008

*We’re in the U.S. right now, we got here yesterday! Posts will probably be shorter and more infrequent than usual, FYI.

First Woah-I’m-Not-In-Chile-Anymore moment:

An hour outside of Atlanta at a rest area right off the highway — we pull in and see a truck with wheels the size of our “compact” rental car. The Confederate flag is displayed proudly across the back window.

Me to S., only half joking: Don’t speak Spanish loudly, you might get shot.

(We then walk up to a pay phone to try to call my friend that we’re meeting in Atlanta. I put money in and my quarters get rejected. I then try to dial, and put the phone down then pick it up again and shake my head in frustration that I no longer know how to use my country’s pay phones. An overweight girl approaches holding out a cell phone and speaks in a heavy Southern accent): Y’all trying to use the phone?

Me (suspiciously): Umm, yeah, why?

Random Southern Girl: Use my (pronounced mah) phone. It ain’t gonna cost me anything.

Me (taking phone, afraid the phone is a secret distraction technique while her cohorts are stealing our car off in the distance): Umm, thanks?
Me (dials and talks to friend, hands phone back over, turns and sees rental car is still there): Hey thanks, that was really nice of you. I guess that’s your random act of kindness for the day.

Random Southern Girl (smiling a big and very genuine smile): Hey, it ain’t no problem. I (pronounced ah) know how it is. We all been there.

Me to S., as we walk away: Wow, that was cool, slash a little weird.
(S. nods in agreement)
Me: But, still, don’t yell in Spanish or anything until we get in the car.

Living in Chile has taught me to never trust strangers. Coming back to the U.S. reminds me why I was this trusting to begin with.

For another interesting trust graph, and why I always scoff when Chileans tell me what a warm and open culture they are, click here. I didn’t find this graph on my own, it was left in a comment on someone else’s blog, although I can’t remember whose, sorry! The graph compares Chile’s levels of trust to the rest of LatinAmerica’s over a period of time. Then countries who were surveyed once also appear. Swedes are the most trusting, with 70% of people surveyed responding “Yes,” when asked if they believed you can trust in the majority of all people. Holand follows closely at 60%, while the U.S. comes in with 35% (in 2001). Chile’s percent was just below 10 when surveyed in 2007.

I’m not trying to beat a dead horse. I just felt like this anecdote is extremely telling of where I am now in terms of trust in strangers, compared to where I came from. And the graph quantefies that.

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December 5, 2008

Marcelo is officially signed up at DUOC. Classes start March 8th. He’s a little nervous, but excited!

In other random news, photos from Mila’s daughters’ double wedding are up at my photography blog. And guess what…her son graduates from high school in three years. Right about the time Marcelo will be finishing up his degree at the DUOC. Can anybody guess what I’m thinking?

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December 3, 2008

Just a few pics from the beach house. They’re just boring unedited photos from our point and shoot of S. and I with Papi and Mundi (his childhood dog who lives with his parents). I understand that most people will not be too interested in these shots…and I just don’t care.

I really hate cooking.

But when it’s done, it’s so worth it!

The dogs played fetch all weekend long with pine cones. Poor underprivileged puppies who can’t afford real balls.

Except that Papi doesn’t understand the concept of fetch. She waits until Mundi chases down the pine cone, brings it back and drops it at our feet. Then she steals it and runs away. I spent the whole weekend just chasing her!