138/365-2 A Vision of Hope

"Music for Hope"

Today was a busy day, but a "good" busy day.  It was one filled with friends, food, family, a little shopping and music.  What it was not filled with was time for today's photo.  In the few minutes that I was home in between shopping and leaving for the concert at church, I did think to put a generic lens on my camera and put it in my bag "just in case" there was something that would work for today's prompt.  When we walked in for the concert and were handed the program, I just chuckled at the subtitle across the top.  Voila!  There was my photo.  This is just proof positive that God is 100% with me on my CY 365 journey:-)

137/365 Growth

"Growing Pains"

Technically this is not a good photo, but it is a perfect photo for me today.

I got a new super zoom lens.  It is HUGE!  So huge, in fact, that the camera store did not have a UV filter large enough in stock.  It is now on order.  I was hesitant to do too much with the lens until the filter comes in, but I couldn't resist a few shots.

The lens weighs a little over four pounds.  That is a lot to deal with handheld.  It will be possible, but, as you can see in this shot, it is certainly going to take some practice on my part to hold it steady to get sharp images.  Using the tripod is going to be the better bet I think, but that just is not always convenient.  Once the filter comes in, I will spend more time practicing and figuring out the quirks of this particular lens.

As far as growth, the natural references are clear.  The moth (butterfly?) has grown from a caterpillar and the dandelion has grown from a flower with its bright yellow petals to this fluff of seeds.  Also, my lens collection has grown as has this month's credit card bill:-)  These things, however, really aren't the most significant aspects of growth in this image.

Not only does this photo have technical issues, it isn't very creative or interesting.  It is, though, the first image that I took with this new lens. That is worth documenting.  It shows that growth that I need as a photographer.  Posting it here also is evidence of personal growth.  The perfectionist in me is OK with posting this less than perfect image because it is important to today.  A year ago I probably would not have done that; I would have rather missed a day than post a "bad" picture.  I know that I have posted many inferior pictures, but often it has been in retrospect that I have noticed their problems.

Anyway, accepting what I know could be better is a huge point of growth for me.

136/365-2 Discipline

"Morning Pages"

I call it disciplined; many members of my family call it anal retentive or OCD.  With many aspects of my life, mostly the creative ones, I am incredibly disciplined.  With things like keeping my email inbox cleared out, not so much.  With the things I choose to be disciplined about, I am ever faithful to the practice.  

In thinking today about how to photograph the discipline in my life, I decided to focus on the one thing that binds it all together - the practice of morning pages as put forth by Julia Cameron in her book The Artist's Way.  Morning pages involve writing for thirty minutes first thing in the morning -  before our left brains become fully engaged in the day, while our subconscious thoughts experienced during sleep are still close to the surface and before there have been day's events to color our every thought.  I have engaged in this practice faithfully for nearly five years.  Many decisions have been made, problems solved, emotions unpacked, and creative endeavors begun as the result of the writings in my morning pages.  Good old fashioned composition books, which is all that I write in, and pens are much cheaper and just as effective for me as therapy.  Not only do I need this process, but I do enjoy it.  There is something magical about taking pen in hand and expressing my deepest feelings, opinions, worries, and joys without being concerned about how they will be received by another person.  Mostly I find that it is the process of choosing the "best" words to express myself that is important for me.

I need structure.  I need discipline in my life or I will get nothing done.  I don't do well with "free" time.  Even when my schedule is not mandated by external forces, like now between school terms, I have to write things on my calendar or they won't get accomplished, even with all day to do them.  So Monday is sabbath day; Tuesday is sort last semester's school materials day; Wednesday is begin housecleaning and go to the library day; Thursday is lunch with friends day; and so on.  Most people probably don't have to schedule such things.  I do.

As long as I can keep the discipline of writing morning pages in my life, I am able to maintain a reasonable sense of clarity and balance.  With that I can accomplish a lot!

135/365-2 Relax

"Commencement"

Obviously I forgot to post this last night.

Commencement itself was not necessarily relaxing, but it signifies the end of the semester and the end of this school year, which means it also marks the beginning of a period of relaxation for me.  Yay!

Though I can't stand  Pomp and Circumstance because I have played it SO many times (and that was just last night, not all the many years previously),  I do enjoy playing for graduation.  It is a time for all of us in the music department to play side by side, faculty and students.

134/365-2 Healthy

"Midnight Snack"

133/365-2 Activity

"Walking"

I'm not much on exercise for exercise sake, but I do enjoy walking as my primary mode of transportation.  Harley likes to go for walks too.  She is much better behaved on her leash than Adidas so she got the honor of being in today's photo because I knew I could deal with her and my camera at the same time.  The same could not be said of Adidas and the camera!

132/365-2 Make An Appointment

"Scheduled Sabbath"

Right now there are way too many things going on in my world.  I am counting the minutes (actually the number of exams) until this semester is over.  To put it simply, I am exhausted.  I have learned to say "no" to a few things, but I still don't seem to get enough rest.  In the past I have been advised to put sabbath time on my calendar and treat it like any other appointment.  I need to adopt that practice again!

Monday the 18th it is!