So fast forward to Taryn's studio. I was a little nervous, but she put me completely at ease. She was such a good sport about all the outfits I had brought! She changed backdrops twice because she thought the black backdrop would look better with one of my outfits... then recommended that we head outside for some photos in the park. So, just amazing. And then - two hours later! - she explained how she would go through the photos and make adjustments, and then put them on line for me AND send me a disk, and I said "Oh my gosh, Taryn, I'm going to pay you for this." Really. She was just too good to not pay. And so professional. She never once flinched from treating me like a paying client. I'm impressed/Beth Bollinger, Accidental Rabbit Trails. More here.

• Generational dysfunctions/Bay Views
• Joy of reading is changing/Dogwalk Musings
• Best 10 things about January/Gathering Around the Table
• Looking back with music/Rants, Raves, & Random Thoughts
• Theater provides chances to use creative energy/Silver Valley Stories
• More below, more coming

Question: When did you last sit for a professional portrait?

• Blessed Sunday/A Butterfly Moment
• NBC nightly news on the budget and defense waste/Blue Moose Democrat
• Where is the center of the road/Community Comment
• As long as you have a mother/From A Simple Mind
• Online restaurant reviews review revue/Get Out! North Idaho
• 3BT: My mouth shut, more enchilada, poker channel/Kellogg Bloggin'
• Monday/Live, Love, Laugh, Hope
• Not Me Monday/Midnight Marauder
• Monday morning talent offerings/Slight Detour
• Blowing the curve/Tumblewords

HBO Numbers (for week of Jan. 24-30): 54907/31563; and: (month of January): 219,507/139,362)