This Week In Numbers
May 5th, 2011 § 4 Comments
Day 124
I’ve gotten very smart about making trips to IKEA. I enter backwards, through the returns/exchanges entrance, past the registers and to what is actually the end of the store where the picture frames, vases and funky silicon animal-shaped ice cube trays live. Unless I’m shopping for a major piece of furniture – and nothing could be further from my reality right now – there is just no need to torture myself with dreamy imaginary rooms and lofts, spending hours running my hands over counter tops and imagining a life in an all white house as I take periodic breaks for Swedish meatballs.
A few days ago, I repeated this plan of attack to pick up 15 photo frames for a Mother’s Day surprise project at my church. As I paced and walked and checked, compared and re-checked every. single. frame. (anyone else do that?) I came across one on sale for $0.99. The display allowed for two photos or images to be placed vertically inside with both in full view once it was screwed into the stand.
Immediately my mind began racing. I thought back to an original idea I’d had to include a quote pertaining to the type of photo taken and immediately scooped them into my arms. I waddled up to the register, checked out and patted myself on the back for thinking on my feet and coming up with an even better idea than I’d originally had.
About ten miles down the road, I realized the photos were horizontal. Every single one.
#ikeafail
It’s funny because those 15 frames were just one of many numbers that stand out as making this week extremely frustrating stressful interesting.
Let’s break it down.
Number of shirts I weeded out of my closet in an attempt to simplify my life: 22.
Number of said shirts still neatly stacked on my floor: 26. (I couldn’t stop apparently.)
Number of mornings I woke up with Easter candy wrappers within my grasp: two.
Trips to Starbucks: four. (In my defense, my home Internet was only working in 15-minute intervals and I needed to get work done.)
Shows and movies on the DVR we lost when AT&T insisted we needed a replacement: 79.
Shoots I’ve been on: three.
Edited photos I’ve sifted through: Over 600.
Sushi rolls consumed for under 20 bucks: four. #winning (Austin friends, check out the reverse Happy Hour at Kona Grill.)
Magazines delivered with the Royal Wedding donning the cover: two.
Miles I’ve ran faster than I ever did in half-marathon training: One. And let it be known I didn’t sprint or push myself to the point of extreme exhaustion and it was a good 90 seconds faster than my average a year ago at this time. Lesson learned? Strength training works.
Pairs of brand new flip-flops I’ve ruined: one. Don’t ask. It’s just been that kind of week.
How is yours going?
Two Week Notice
April 28th, 2011 § 13 Comments
Day 117
Last Thursday, I gave my two week notice.
I know I keep a lot of my professional life off the blog – and really that will remain the intent here – but I wanted to let you all know last Thursday was a big day for me.
I’m leaving a company I have worked for on and off since I was in college. While it hasn’t been a bad experience, it also hasn’t been the most wonderful. I fought through a lot of adversity and negativity, especially since I moved to Texas, but I came out better for it.
No longer will I be working late hours or weekends. No longer will I need to pick up a second job at a restaurant to afford gas. I won’t have to ask, “Table or booth?” Waking up every day won’t mean going to work every day. Finally having the peace of mind to form a workable plan to tackle my debt is a relief I cannot accurately describe.
It’s going to be an adjustment to work Monday through Friday again. I’ll miss my mornings spent sipping coffee pouring over photos and reading amazing posts from my insanely talented friends.
But, I know I will love the stability. The steady income. The feeling of contributing to society. Having an office and coworkers. Spending my Saturdays and Sundays the way I choose to spend them.
Again, I am going to keep the details private but to answer any looming questions in your mind, no it is not a permanent writing position nor is it one to solely be a photographer. This job utilizes the communication skills I have and piques my interest in technology and the Internet in a way I never could have imagined.
I’m still going to be posting and snapping away. If anything, I am pursuing photography with more passion than I could have these past four months. I’m really excited for what’s to come and I’m extremely grateful for the support of everyone who comes here – whether daily, weekly or just once – and speaks love and life over me.
I resisted moving here for a long time, but I prayed and took my time and now it’s all very clear. Life went from a box of shuffled screws, pieces and directions of attach A to B to a beautifully built shelf I can put the prettiest of things on, stand back and admire.
The heart of the matter is I fought through a lot of struggles in recent months and I’d been waiting for an opportunity to present itself.
The waiting game is over.
Celebrations will take place starting tomorrow. Goodbyes and thank you’s will be spoken. There’s a lot of anticipation in the air. Life is finally going to launch that red ball at me and I can’t wait to keep chasing my dreams.
Subway Love
April 14th, 2011 § 6 Comments
Day 104
It’s been awhile since I waxed poetic about my beloved New York. As I was sifting through my ever-growing iPhoto library, I realized I never imported these photos into Lightroom. I actually played around quite a bit with the settings here so what you’re seeing is in a very different light and exposure than what I shot in. Still, I think the tender, quiet moments are captured well.
I’m sure someone has already done this, but wouldn’t a documentary or book solely about subway riders be fantastic? I really love the hodgepodge of people, styles, fashion and snippets of life you see riding underground with a bunch of strangers. One of my favorite games to play is “tourist or resident?” I find myself getting wrapped up in every possibility my imagination can conjure up of the very life of someone who thinks of the subway the same way I think of my car – as a means to get around. On this last trip, I started seeing the city as more than just a fun place to visit. I saw it as home to so many people who frequent the places I can only recall via photographs from many miles away.
Oddly enough, the subway is one of those places. I don’t claim to be an expert on navigating it – not yet, anyhow – but I do love the whole concept of quick public transportation so many Eastern Seaboard cities have in place.
That reminds me of when Carrie and I got on the C line, dressed to the nines for a night out and wondered why we were the recipients of so many stares. As I clutched the railing and came to a screeching halt several stops later, I looked at the station name, feverishly glanced at my map, turned to her and said, “Um, Care? I think we’re in Brooklyn?”
Needless to say we were a bit late for dinner.
And being the hopeless romantic that I am, I’d like to think this gentleman is making his own dinner plans with a special someone. Hopefully she has a better sense of direction than I do.
Must Love Dogs
April 12th, 2011 § 17 Comments
Day 102
To my future husband, a few things to take note of:
I really like photography. You’re going to have to get used to my camera going everywhere with us. This might mean that I take photos of things that cause people to look at us funny. You’re going to have to get over that real quick.
Something else about my hobby you should know. I really love taking self-portraits.
And I will probably take hundreds of photos of you, whether you like it or not. (But you should probably just like it – it will make it easier on both of us.)
Don’t worry, I am pretty good at making others laugh.
I find beauty in not-so-ordinary places.
The key to my heart is a good cup of coffee.
Which I will, no doubt, take more pictures of.
I have had quite the journey in my faith and it is extremely important to me. I realize this can be a sensitive subject that can lead to much debate, but you’ve got to see where I am coming from and share some of the basic beliefs as I do. Cliff Notes version of this future conversation: I love Jesus.
I also really love my phone. You’ll love how much easier it makes life for both of us (just trust me on this one.)
You’ve got to love art and be able to appreciate its presence in our world and our lives.
And I’d really like it if you open up my world to artists that I have never even heard of – whether they sing, draw, write or make a living from dumpster diving.
Also? Let’s travel. Across the state, country and across town. This includes frequent trips to NYC (duh.)
And sorry in advance for my quirks – singing the wrong words loudly, the inability to eat pasta without wanting to fall asleep 20 minutes later, my uncanny ability of tripping up stairs and the fact that I’ll always make you drive.
I’d like to think my open mind and my giving heart make up for any characteristics that may not be ideal. If we come to a point where we don’t see eye to eye initially, I am willing to listen and hear you out. I’m flexible on a lot of things.
If not, there’s always my hair. It rocks pretty hard.
Oh, and dear future husband, if you didn’t catch it above, you must love dogs. There’s no negotiating on that one.
Oh Goodness Me
April 1st, 2011 § 3 Comments
Day Ninety-One
It’s been a really good week.
I don’t want to say that I haven’t had a good week in recent months, but something about this week was extra good. You know, like stop and realize how on top of the world you are good. Smiling all the time and letting trouble roll off your shoulders kind of good.
See, I’ve been trying this new thing lately where I stop worrying so much and start living a lot. When my thoughts play hopscotch and try to make it too far ahead, I grab the stone, throw it on the first square and reel them back in. And it’s nice here in the beginning of the sequence where I know I’ve got a lot of ground to cover, yet I’m not really worried about when and how I’m going to get there.
And if I take a second to stop looking at the broad spectrum of life, there are the little things, too.
Like how three coats of OPI Metro Chic can leave me unable to stop looking down at my hands. Or how I can’t help but try to figure out the mysterious air Adele’s buttery voice as I try my best to sing along.
Maybe it’s been knowing all week I’ve got a date tomorrow morning with a stylist’s chair and the familiar paint, trim and straighten of a hair appointment.
Maybe it’s the date I have later in the day with my camera and a beautiful mother and daughter.
Or I could attribute this good to seeing doors opened, watching people chase their passion wholeheartedly and feeling that freshness that can only come with it being a new month.
Maybe I should take my own advice, stop trying to pinpoint life and just go with it.
Yeah, I think that’s what I’ll do.
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Scenes From A Cafe
March 30th, 2011 § 3 Comments
Happiness In Bloom
March 24th, 2011 § 6 Comments
Day Eighty-Three
If I had one motto that I could share with all the world it would be this: always have fresh flowers.
I seemed to have forgotten just how delightful such a small addition to a home can be. Then a few days ago, I found myself wandering around the grocery store in search of almonds and bananas and suddenly I was smack in the middle of a beautiful display of blooms. Immediately I was taken back to Sunday trips to Trader Joe’s where the first task was to stop and choose which bouquet I’d be taking home to welcome me into my kitchen every morning for the next week.
Tulips are one of my favorites if for nothing else than their clean lines and slow progression to open. White tulips just scream new, clean, fresh which at this point in my life are the three words I could best use to describe my taste in decor and styling. Although they come with very long stems and leaves intact, I prefer to cut them short and put them in a square glass vase. My Mum added the rocks and I gotta admit, I really like ‘em.
As is the routine with most photography mornings, I hopped from sitting on the counter top, stretching and leaning backwards to standing on a chair and finally crouching until I got eye level with these beauties. I clicked away without even looking at the preview screen. After my initial round of snapping, I uploaded, edited and went back to take more. I just couldn’t get enough. It’s funny, that’s the appetite I have for life lately.
Maybe it’s because I realized last night just how perfect the weather is right now in Texas, maybe it’s because I finally got an issue resolved at work that’s been a thorn in my side for six months, maybe it’s because I got a phone call at 9 p.m. from a friend who was going to stop by on her way home just to say hi, maybe it’s because we stood in my driveway for over 30 minutes and laughed so hard we were wheezing through words – you know the kind where you catch your breath, sigh and say oooh my goodness and let out one more small giggle.
Maybe this is the beginning of finally feeling settled. Whatever it is, I’m giving credit to the flowers.
My studio has a Facebook page now! Head on over and give us a like for more photography goodness!
Rainy Day Remembrance
March 23rd, 2011 § 5 Comments
Day Eighty-Two
There are so many things I love about this photo.
I love that it the forecast called for rain and Carrie packed her gorgeous umbrella with the wooden handle. I love that we only had to use it for the 10 minutes we walked to breakfast. I love that we feel New York enough to have “our” breakfast spot that we visit every morning each time we visit New York. I love the dull yellow from the wall behind it. I love the bright green. I love how you can’t really tell that it was raining in this photo, but that memory will tell me forever that it was. Most of all what I love about this photo is that it makes me feel warm and happy and loved. It takes me right to that spot in Chelsea, sitting in that wooden chair in the crowded French patisserie that envelopes me in appreciation and starts my day off right.
To me, this is what photography is all about.
Do you have a photo that does the same thing for you?
My studio has a Facebook page now! Head on over and give us a like for more photography goodness!
The 26th Year
October 4th, 2010 § 18 Comments
As it turns out, the best gift was to take some time away from the Internet and just focus on myself. It didn’t hurt my counterpart from Pittsburgh was in town for a post-birthday visit! We had quite the series of events, a few of which I plan to share with you later this week. Let’s just say cupcakes were consumed, mimosas and Shiner’s toasted, old movies were watched and many, many laughs ensued.
I got to see more of this city of mine and discovered new bits and pieces to appreciate. On Carrie’s last night, I slipped on my boots and for the first time, I sensed a feeling of comfort come over me. I felt like this is where I live – not where I’m visiting.
We talked goals, dreams, futures and “what if’s.” I thought a lot about Pittsburgh and really ached for it. I reminisced my beloved Stadium Loop, remembered what fall felt like when the temperatures dropped and appreciated the first 25 years of my life I spent north of the Mason-Dixon line.
I realized this life of mine is very different from the life I lived in Pittsburgh as I collapsed into bed every night last week, exhausted from the socialization that’s become foreign to me over the last two months.
I remembered this life of mine is so open and endless. Everywhere I go brings absolute newness. New faces, new experiences, new impressions to make and be made.
I felt a burst of zest when I handed out my business cards. It felt so right to give the answer, “I’m a writer,” when people asked me what it is I “do.” When they gave their reactions – delight, surprise, a smile – it was all I could do to resist snapping a photo. Instead, I’m relying on my memory to replay those moments when frustration leapfrogs happiness and my mood changes to despair.
The big fat truth that’s been staring at me for a long time is my life’s direction is one that is mine to decide and discover.
I could sit here and argue that I’ve never had such a blank canvas with which to paint write my future upon. It’s more appealing, romantic even, to think of it that way. Instead, when I think back on my past endeavors and adventures, it’s as clear as the varying ZIP codes: I always had the opportunity to make my life what I wanted it to be.
Sometimes I took advantage of that – when I signed contracts, met with HR, had the first-day butterflies, I did it. When I woke up early, meticulously planned my days off or skipped a night out for the sake of a training run, I did it. I did it every time I logged into WordPress, hit publish, held my breath and waited. Each time I packed my car to the brim and made the drive “home” to an unknown place, I did it.
There were times, of course, I didn’t.
The times I steered in the opposite direction of change, instead staying the course of comfort. When I said “Yes” when I should have said “No.” When I had just one more, went against my better judgment, said what I knew would hurt, let myself be hurt.
I don’t believe this new place is a clean slate. I don’t think it holds the key to every happiness. Happiness is a place in my heart, not a spot on a map.
I do believe it holds the possibility of what I want being what I have. I believe it holds the probability of cherished memories, pieces of my history and an incredible amount of love. It’s mine for the taking. Last week reminded me of that.
I’ve had a chance to start anew, but I’ve never had so much time to think about it. I’ve never been in a place where I know so few people. Those that I have met have been wonderful, yet I still keep my distance, whether it’s by choice or by force. Life, in short, feels completely overwhelming. I feel like I’ve got so many ideas, endeavors to take advantage of and high expectations for myself that sometimes it feels like my head – and similarly, my heart – are going to burst.
I know I need to break it down. For this one-time over-achiever and notorious perfectionist, I’d like to ask my friend, the cliche, to be of assistance.
That is so much easier said than done.
I realize I may come off quite the optimist. I might seem like I have everything together, like I’ve got talent, the drive, a dream and passion. Perhaps I do, but it’s not such a neat, pretty picture. That blank canvas? It’s starting to look more like a piece by Jackson Pollock than a paint by number.
As I begin the 26th year, I have a feeling this could get messy.
Funny thing, I don’t seem to mind.
