166/365 From the Side

'Close Your Eyes, Mom!"

I am definitely not skilled at applying make-up, especially the overdone make-up that is necessary when one is on stage under bright stage lights.  I had to enlist the girls as both consultants as to what to do and then have the do the application as well.  It took both of them working their magic to get it done.

Today's prompt's title is a little misleading.  Though it only says from the side, the additional instructions are for a self portrait from the side.  Yes, it is that time of the month again.  I have to admit that I actually did not take this photo; Erin took it with my camera.  Putting on my own make-up and taking my own picture were way more than I could handle today - or on most days, for that matter.  I'm glad the girls were around to help me with this.  We'll just consider it payback for all of those diapers that I changed!

Note: It is not that we were intentionally trying to keep Brooke out of the picture.  She had an allergic reaction to hair dye and because her scalp and face are broken out, she did not want to be in the picture.  I wanted at least some of her visible to put the photo in context.

165/365 Stars and Stripes

"Tower of Solar Power"

Happy Flag Day, everyone.  

As you can see, this is not a picture of stars and stripes.  Despite the fact that I had a dress rehearsal tonight for a concert that consists entirely of patriotic music, I failed to get a photo containing stars and stripes.

This is a photo of Museum Tower taken from inside the Dallas City Performance Hall in the arts district of downtown Dallas.  This tower is at the center of a heated (both literally and figuratively) debate between its developers and the adjacent Nasher Sculpture Center.  Museum Tower is a forty story mirrored building.  It reflects massive amounts of damaging sunlight onto the artwork at the Nasher.  This is causing irreparable damage to sculptures both outside and inside the museum.  City leaders, representatives of the sculpture center and developers of the tower have been trying to come up with a mutually acceptable solution to this problem.  As of yet, they have been unsuccessful with this.

164/365 Sand

"Reach for the Stars"

North Texas is not exactly known for its sandy beaches.  And, today started with a 5:45 am call for Resounding Harmony as we were lucky to have a spot to sing on a local morning TV show to help promote our concert this weekend.  Then I had to teach and then go to the dermatologist.  With the way today played out, there was no time or energy to go hunting for sand.  This little cactus pictured above did, however, catch my attention.  Cacti grow in the desert.  The desert has sand.  Voila!  Connection made.

As you have probably noticed with several of my recent pictures, I am on a quote kick right now.  I like the challenge of trying to take a photo to represent a particular quote or vice versa, trying to find a quote to accompany an image.  With this one, I took the photo first; I love this quote.  It really speaks to me and I think it is appropriate for this image of the pink bud sitting atop the prickly little cactus.

We all have dreams - some of them small, some big, and some at every point in between.  Yet, so many people live an entire life and never even lift a finger in the direction of their dreams let alone lift their arms to reach for and fully embrace those dreams.  What keeps us from pursuing our dreams?  Time? Money? Other people?

None of the above.

The only thing that ever really stands in our way is fear.  It may be fear of trying and the risk, commitment or amount of work that requires.  It may be fear of failure.  It may even be fear of success.  However you look at it, it boils down to fear of something.  Time, money and other people are excuses, a way to keep us from taking responsibility for our own actions or lack of action.    To say that we don't "have" time  is more accurately stated as we don't "make" time.  If something is important, we will make the time to do it.  And if we truly have a passion for something, the resources to nourish that passion will come.  If we believe in what we are doing, so will other people.  When all of these things come together, dreams will come true.  I honestly believe that where there is a will or a passion, there is always a way.

That way may involve standing on a cactus to reach that star;  we may get poked by a few cactus needles in the process.  But once we are swinging on that star, the pain and scars from those cactus needles fade away.  We can say with confidence that dreams do come true if you believe in them and believe in yourself.

163/365 Relax

"Oh to Have the Life of the Cat"

The cat is the only one around here right now who seems to have time to relax.  Between summer school and several concerts in the next two weeks, I barely have time to check my calendar to figure out where I am supposed to be next let alone to have even a minute to relax.

This spot on the back of the arm chair in our bedroom is the cat's favorite spot.  There is now n indentation in the back cushion that is perfectly molded to her body.  As you can see by the amount of cat hair on her blanket, she spends a lot of time here.

Some day I might have time to relax.

162/365 Two

"Hands"

For whatever reason, I had a hard time with today's photo.  You would think that photographing "two" would be a simple task; our lives are filled with things that come in twos.  I just was not thrilled with anything that crossed my mind.  When I thought about photographing two pennies as my two cents worth, I realized that I had better just be happy with something before sarcasm completely took over.  

I resorted to quotes for a little inspiration.  I like this Billy Graham quote.  I took lots of shots trying to create an image that reflected the words; none that I was happy with.  Big surprise.  This photo is the most likable, at least in my opinion, of all the bad shots that I took.  

So, for now I am trying to accept this apparent creative slump within which I find myself.  I've been here before.  I'll be here again.  And in between, glorious things will happen.  Until then . . ."'The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes."  - Marcel Proust

161/365 Something Found

"Birthday Boy and His Book"

Though today was Weber's birthday, there wasn't much celebrating around here.  He is not much of a party guy.  Brooke made a small cake - orange spice with fig jam between the layers and we went out to our favorite Italian dive restaurant for dinner.  The birthday gifts were equally as low key.  I did find a copy of The Gospel According to Peanuts, a book that he had had previously that went missing.

160/365 Remote Control

'Still Playing!"

I credit Pac-Man with my success as an undergraduate student.  It was my stress release, my therapy, my exercise, my entertainment.  I was addicted and this addiction served me well.  Almost every night after practicing clarinet and piano for four hours, I would head to the Mr. Gatti's Pizza across the street from the music building and play a quarter's worth of Pac-Man.  That sounds reasonable, right?  Well, it really wasn't.  I could play for several hours on one quarter.  In fact , there were many evenings where I had to just walk away from the game and let someone else continue where I was.  

I still remember all the patterns for the various levels, though I don't have many opportunities to play anymore.  Yes, there are computer and iPad versions of both Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man, but they just aren't the same.  Any of you who are first generation Pac-Man players know what I mean.

I'm not really sure why today summoned up this piece of nostalgia.  Maybe because tomorrow is Weber's birthday; sadly though, he was not a Pac-Man player.  Poor guy!