Artifact uprising

I am happy to have my first Instagram-friendly photo book which I made over at Artifact Uprising.  It has a lovely hand feel to it, and there is something very pleasing about seeing the photos in this format.  I'm looking forward to making more over the years, giving thought to themes and connections amongst the many, many photos that I take.

Peace and love.

Tuesday 10

• combining my interests in Finland, aging and nature, this photo series rocks my world.

• I've been on a documentary kick and have loved this, this and this.

• Hyperbole and a Half has so entranced Sag he rued not bringing his gift cards to the bookstore yesterday when he spotted it on the shelves.  oh, and the shop was having "Cider Monday" with a warm cider station and mulling spices greeting you as you walked in!

• speaking of which, this article helped clarify my issues, critically, with the frenzy of consumerism associated with this time of year.  the underbelly of the beast is incredibly ugly, the beast a force of destruction.  I have taken a step back and am considering my purchases (and how I purchase) even more carefully.

• speaking of which, I do rely on an online vendor for our holiday photo cards.  I grew up with my mug smiling out of a Kodak photo card, every Christmas, literally since I was born.  Kodak is no more and we rode the tide over to Shutterfly (who took over Kodak customers) a couple of years ago.  long story short, this year's card arrived (all 150) and the text of the message was difficult to read.  I gave them a call, the rep took a look on her screen, agreed immediately and issued us credit for 150 more cards and their most express level of shipping!  excellent, excellent customer service.  (because I am a flibbertigibbet I realized as soon as I clicked "order", when reordering, that the edited cards look Halloween-y because I went with the thickest font in black (overcompensation for the original delicate font in white) on an orange background.)

• the Hubble Space Telescope Advent Calendar!

• some really lovely illustrated children's books and picture books.  I used to collect them in my life before kids...some of these are quite enticing.

• I follow National Geographic photos on Instagram and Facebook.  if you are not on social media, check out their "Photo of the Day" on the website...you won't regret it.  their photos are stunning.

• "because when I am tired and frazzled, what I'm missing most is my own attention."  read that line recently and it hit a chord.  the author was Jennifer Louden and I now have two of her books (one borrowed from a friend, one from the library) waiting to be perused.

• I kind of can't get enough of this shot I took from the car and processed in Instagram.  it's a Plympton cranberry bog in late afternoon Thanksgiving Day light.

Peace and love.

When a door closes and a window opens

I've decided to draw this blog to a close and start a new one.  I haven't decided whether to change the name of the blog, or not, but the address will change.  This blog, at this web location, will be set to private rather than deleted.  If you want to be able to access it, you will have to do an extra step of login in order to see it.  I will also need to add the email addy you have associated with Google/Blogger to my list of members who can access the blog.  I will not be adding any posts to this blog after the "end date" which will be determined later.

Once the new blog gets going, I will let you know here.  The new blog will be public.  The new blog will not have identifying photos of the kids.  It will likely have much less detail about them, as well.  I'm not sure where or how I will share news of them and those irresistible "precious moments"...maybe Facebook, maybe Instagram, maybe a "family and friends" email newsletter (haha do not hold your breath on that one)...that aspect of things is not fleshed out...at all.

In addition to detaching my blogging from the kids to give them not only the privacy they are due, but also experiment with designing a more personal/individual space for me, I am looking to flex some old/new muscles of self-expression through the written word and the photo lens.  Less catching up and updating...more thought to creative and mindful sharing.  Less blip, more ripple.

There are some upcoming days (winter solstice, the new year, my birthday) that feel auspicious for launching a new venture...but knowing me, I may just start when the mood strikes.  Stay tuned.

Peace and love.

P.S.  I have learned, scouring my photo library of the last year, that I do not take photos of doors.

Themes

rhythm.

Every November, for a number of Novembers now, I feel a spark and a twinge when I am reminded of NaNoWriMo.  I think, how cool would that be, to write a novel?  Or a solid first draft of one?  And then I quickly dismiss the idea because how dare I disrespect the art form by even dreaming I could do something like that?  I am hardly a writer.

Today, a blogger I follow posted saying she will post daily for the month of November (unrelated to NaNoWriMo).  And I whispered-thought, hey, that, I can do.

Going to the farmer's market with Kelly on Saturday mornings has become a lovely routine.  The company of a good friend, being a step closer to the rhythm of the season, the genial contact with local farmers, fish mongers and culinary artisans...it all fills me with anticipation and gratitude.

This morning I picked up cider from a local orchard (where we get our weekly fruit share from) and eggs and ground sirloin from Anthony.

moments.

The berries were red and because of the cloudy light, had a wonderful matte quality to them.  I couldn't angle my shot properly to catch the color, but liked the silhouette well enough to appreciate the image for itself.

flow.

Something clicked for Gem this afternoon and he worked on some comics with an unusual fervor.  We talked about how cool it is to feel and be one with that flow.

arts.

I read Marbles today.  It was an incisive and funny memoir chronicling a journey from diagnosis to successful treatment (after four+ years!) of bipolar disorder.  It had a lot of heart and I am glad I read it.  It was featured in this piece highlighting graphic novels by women that Sherman Alexie turned me onto via his blog.

I have been enjoying American Horror Story: Coven in its many aspects, and, as a whole.  I am a sucker for wonderfully utilized music and have been riveted by their application of Fleetwood Mac, and Stevie Nicks, in particular, for Misty's storyline.

Peace and love.

Catching up: the natural world

These four shots are from around the house.  I appreciate all the seasons, but Autumn is my favorite.  I find the drowsing of the Earth quite beautiful.  The way the colors fade, how what is underneath, the bones of our matter, are exposed...  How simultaneously new underneaths are created and precious parts are given shelter.  How surges of life can give us delirious hope amidst the chaos of entropy.

These three shots are from a walk the kids and I took in a local park.  It was early morning but the light felt like late afternoon.  The slant of the world discombobulates.

These two were taken around the library.  Glancing fascinators.

Peace and love.

Glimpse

Well, I've spent a chunk of time going through photos on my computer.  I uploaded over 900 from my camera, as well.  And that did not include all the CA pics.  Now, I must to the kitchen to prepare lunch for the children.

Jet lag persists, though it is being overtaken by the energies of Fall.  Fall is my favorite season in all its beautiful and melancholic last gasps.

This photograph of buds and bloom brings some serenity to my system.  Renewal amongst the pulls of entropy.  (Gratitude to Kate who brought this lovely into my home and Shannon whose birthday we were celebrating.)

I wanted to read today, but organizing my photos niggles on my brain.  I also have CSA pick up and processing of veg/fruit, as well as, a visit with Vinny.

Peace and love.

Out like a lamb

Sheesh.  Nearly a week since my last post.  Clearly, something has got to give.  Stay tuned?

Many of these photos are from walks I've taken with Gem or time spent with Leo.  With the usual suspects of food, drink and home thrown in.  And my new old glasses.

We have a holiday weekend upon us.  If you are/will be celebrating, wishing you lots of love and joy.  Actually, I wish you that whether you are celebrating or not.

I'll be back.  Not to terminate, if you get that reference.

Peace.

Library

One book thing led to another and I spent some time going through my "to read" list of books at Goodreads.

I deleted a bunch. Over 150 remain.

This morning I hopped on the library website. I focused on the graphic novels on my list to get my reading mojo jump started. Requested three, which is the daily limit.

Our library had two others so I drove over and picked them up. Gem's latest request was ready for pick up, a happy coincidence. (He is reading the Poirot mysteries by Agatha Christie.)

Lucked onto a gorgeous shot on my way back to the car.

Peace.

Unity

My gorgeous, gorgeous progeny.  They can be quite photogenic.  We had fun shooting some pics and video as they finished lunch.

My red tent days are over.  Till next time.  Back to feeling like there's not enough time, that I lack a solid organizational system...but happy to take it one moment/task at a time.

Hope you had some moments ring true today.

Peace and love.

P.S.  Had gluten yesterday and today.  Can feel it in my brain and gut.

Ma(lady)

In lieu of what's in/on my mind which is: blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah...a pic I took today (the herb garden) and yesterday (me and the kids).

I got my period yesterday and it is forcing my hand: I must embrace irregularity and unpredictability one way or another.  The more joyful I am in the process, the better for me (and those around me).  

@#$%

I am allowing myself a day to feel this way.  To think about chowing down on a bag of potato chips or a slice or two of pizza.  To be borderline fetal.

Yesterday I was distracted by laundry folding and Shameless and became a cocoon.  Part of me resists all this inward-ing.  But it's pretty powerful.  I am dreaming up a storm and sleeping like a hibernating creature.

Peace and love.

Photo stuff

Got a great shot of Gem while he and Cap and I took a late afternoon stroll around the block.  When I showed it to him tonight to ask him permission to post it, he said, "no".

A further cementing of the changing nature of authorship/ownership when it comes to my art.  Whether it's my photos or my writing, the kids have been involuntary subjects for almost a decade now.

I have allowed myself to believe it's okay by using pseudonyms and setting the blog to "not public" (which is different from the most private setting which would allow a limited number of pre-approved readers).  But, the truth is, they have not known any better.  They could not care about something they could not conceptualize enough to give informed consent about.

In the last year or so I have tried to honor a sense of privacy for them by sharply curtailing shots of them facing the camera and generally posting less photos of them.  Additionally, I started asking their permission for any shot of them that was anything but very generic.

I thought I'd receive permission for the photo today because his eyes were closed in it.  That in it of itself made me feel comfortable about posting it.  But, in retrospect, there is a very "portrait" quality to it, like you are seeing something beyond just the "face" of the "subject".  There was an intimacy captured and it was, for him, a moment of vulnerability (his eyes were closed because the setting sun was blinding him).

Anyway, I wish I could share it with you, but I cannot.  Maybe if I over process it enough...

*    *    *    *

Last month, at a moment where I was up to here with December stuff, Instagram made the announcement that they were going to become the owners of all photos posted via their site.  It was a bold move.  I was in no mood.  So I quit Instagram.

They backed down very quickly because the backlash was immediate and powerful.  I moved on to Photo Studio and Hipstamatic.  But, I kind of missed the Instagram filters.

Tonight Matt Pond tweeted his new Instagram handle.  I may have to rejoin.

*    *    *    *

Gah.  Three days left before getting back into the stride of "homeschooling".  Philosophically, I consider our life homeschooling.  But, there are some practical matters which we've taken a holiday "break" from which we will be getting back to.

I face four jobs: two are major undertakings of time/energy and two don't seem like a big deal but I have been dragging my butt on them for months.  Is there shame in admitting the latter two have to do with cleaning?  (No, but the shaming devil is in the details so I will now gloss over them and move right along.)

The two majors are organizing my (over 5000) digital photos (taken in the last 12 months) and decluttering the kids' room (again).

Three days.  Four jobs.  One movie (The Hobbit).  One trip to Mitsuwa.  *Sigh*

*    *    *    *

Today's photo.  From my walk around the block.  Bracing, sun setting.

*    *    *    *

Peace and love.

Coming together

I think this is the last leftover Xmas pic.  This art figure came in a stocking and has been in various states of Gangnam Style ever since.

A jar that will (hopefully) fill with notes of good happenings in our lives this year.

The candied pecans squeaked in at the tail end of the season.  Xmas pecans as New Year pecans.

Oshougatsu, Japanese New Year's Day, is like American Thanksgiving in many ways.  My mom always makes a feast of traditional and symbolic food.  So delicious, so nourishing, so vital.  (Can you see niece requesting more fried chicken?)

Picked up a strategy over at Nom Nom Paleo, attributed to Jerry Seinfeld.  To aid in creating a new habit, put up a year-at-a-glance calendar and "x" off each consecutive day that you practice the habit.  The idea is to create a visual chain that strengthens as it grows.  I found some free printables and have taped four up around the apartment for: practicing Qigong, eating Paleo, playing piano and going outside.

Grace, over at Terra, really knows her tea.  This Darjeeling Second Flush was tucked into my stocking and I finally tried it today.  It is delectable.  So layered and satisfying and delicate.  Yum.  I am starting the new year with a graphic novel.  I got as far as reading through the cast of characters of Wolf Hall and fatigued.  If I hadn't seen The Tudors already I would have been completely overwhelmed!  I'll get back to it, just need something a bit more ease-y at the moment.

Gem and I took a stroll around the block after lunch.  The air was wonderfully bracing.  Loved it.  I also loved the wee nubbies on these branches.

My first selection for the piano this year is Across The Universe, a Beatles tune.  I did a tiny bit of research and decided to buy a subscription to Scribd.  I had never heard of it before.  It's the YouTube of documents and it is where I found the sheet music for the song.  With the subscription, ($59 for a year), the download was "free".  I look forward to seeing what else the site will offer this year.  But, in the meantime, I wanted to simply get started plunking the keys.

P.S.  I quit Instagram and am now using Photo Studio and Hipstamatic.  It is interesting how these photo apps seem similar and yet are not the same.  (I miss Instagram's filters...)  

P.P.S.  I am realizing that I need to figure out organizing my photos.  I've had my laptop for a year now, the iPhone for a couple of months, and it is time.  It's a big task and soon enough it will become overwhelming.  Fellow shutterbugs, please share what you do, what you use, how you do it, etc.  If you will.

Peace and love.

Tuesday tidbits

The Poetry Foundation dropped a gem in my Reader this morning.  Magnificent.

The book I am reading has really picked up.  I have been reading it rather than addressing holiday cards.  Realizing, again, how I march to my own rhythm.

I do love this cover.  This is my last Instagram photo.  They overhauled their terms and conditions and I decided to delete my account.  I recently bought a photo app...guess I will start playing around with it more.

Peace.

Creeper

This picture may not be worth a thousand words...well, actually, I could probably produce a thousand words riffing off it.  About parenting, about decluttering, about my mood, about the season, about pop culture, about photography.

A thousand words...easier said/thought than done.

Peace.