CANDIDLY SPEAKING

http://www.100strangers.com/

I am so inspired to step out of my comfort zone and do this!

Sometimes, you need a freakin’ break. My mind gets so cluttered with other people’s problems and nonsense that I simply can not get a quiet moment in. I would love, love, love to take a trip to a place where I did not have to speak to anyone on purpose except God. And, even then, you don’t have to actually use words to communicate with The Spirit.

I have had SO much on my mind lately. Some of it intensely overwhelming to the point it has exhausted me. I have been working hard on becoming still and being in the moment. I did not realize what a challenge that is, but anything worth having is worth working for.

Many good things are happening. I have a new day job at one of the best places I have ever worked. I have a supervisor who empowers his staff and sets you up to succeed from the beginning. My team is amazing. Supportive and team members in ever sense of the word. It is not always easy to find a place where the organization walks what it talks. This company does and you can see it in the faces of the people who work there. You value people and they will give back to you ten times over. Now that is some ROI you can write home about.

I’ll be heading to the BlogHer conference next month to speak on the What We Believe: Beautiful Blogging and Positive Posting panel. Fun times!

Speaking of fun times, I will post a new Art Slam project tomorrow. It hit me earlier today when I was having a "some people suck, therefore you should pray for them and yourself" moment. It is a good one!!!

Those critters in the picture above were in my backyard a few weeks ago. They are much bigger now and no longer in the nest; I had to get a shot before they left.

Shoot selfies? Because they are fun and they relax me. Self-portraits are the one thing I do for myself with no major expectations. It is when I am the most free, less judgemental and I play. You have to have that one thing that brings you joy and gives you a sense of satisfaction when it comes out as you expected or better than you expected.

I have many happy accidents with self-portraits and as a result, I have been able to turn the accidents into part of my style. I used to use all the latest actions and photo enhancers out there, but I don’t use those much these days. I like natural, timeless looking portraits where you see the person and not the "stuff" to make the picture look a certain way.

Self-portraits have helped me learn what my "side" is. I have noticed we all tend to favor one side of the face and body when we take pictures. Wonder why that is. Even still, I find it interesting. I have also discovered smiling really does make a portrait better unless you are trying to create a mood. I get it now when Tyra Banks is always telling the girls to "smile with your eyes" on America’s Next Top Model. It makes a difference.

So, that is why I currently shoot selfies. For the love of exploring, experimenting and discovering more about myself.

My intentions with taking these portraits was to show off the necklace I made. Instead, I ended up with really nice portraits and bokeh because I forgot to change the aperture on my camera.

In an effort to watch my spending and keep more of my money in my pocket, I am making more of the little things I like. I love, love, love necklaces, but I refuse to pay what some people are asking for them when I can make them myself. I jacked up many beads, but ended up with some nice necklaces in the end.

Today, I went to my favorite store to pick up a few things to add to my wardrobe only to find out they have made it harder for you to use one of the thousands of discount offers they send in the mail. I decided then it was time for me to pull my sewing machine out and start making my own clothes. This is a good thing for me, because I can tailor my clothes to fit my behind. As a woman blessed with curves, I get so tired of not being able to find jeans that fit without the big gap in the back. What is up with that?! Everyone does not have flat butts! Nor do I want to wear my clothes to the point my butt is hanging out or the clothes are so tight, you look like a squeezed sausage in lycra. Good Heavens.

So, this weekend, I am hitting the sewing store to see what’s out there, check out the fabric and get started. This will prove to be an interesting adventure.

Wake up! If you knew for certain you had a terminal illness–if you had little time left to live–you would waste precious little of it! Well, I’m telling you…you do have a terminal illness: It’s called birth. You don’t have more than a few years left. No one does! So be happy now, without reason–or you will never be at all." - Dan Millman

I am a woman of words and after reading these, they resonated with me big time. I had a friend tell me a few years ago that her husband would look at their daughter and say how happy he was and how sad he was at the same time. Looking at his young child reminded him how beautiful youth is and also reminded him of his own mortality. I used to tell her he was extremely morbid, but he had a point as does the above quote.

There are no guarantees in life except that it will pass you by if you do not seize your moments. All we have are 0ur present moments and for the ego, memories of past moments. Living in the present and fearlessly is my goal for the rest of the year. 2008 has not been anything like I expected. NOTHING like I expected and this is the first time I surrendered to not knowing what was going to happen in ever situation of my life so that I can experience everything I am suppose to. It is an adventure, exciting and ok not knowing. It is not the how that I am concerned with anymore. It is simply being in the now that interest me.