Week 14 - Up Close in Charleston

At the Magnolia Plantation in Charleston.

Savoring the moment.

Trying to take pictures with a tripod.

My fave pic of the week.

Up close on some sort of orangey-yellow flower.

I can't believe I get to live here soon!

Week 13 - Have Faith...Spring Will Arrive Soon

Many of us have been stuck in the midst of crazy weather patterns...the buds are out and covered with snow!  Seriously?!  I, for one, am craving sunshine and can't wait for the days of milder temperatures and brighter colors in the trees and gardens.  Luckily, I have faith that those days are coming.  Soon.  

I'm actually hitting the road today for a trip to Charleston to start looking for a place to live.  In the military, we're lucky enough to have a wonderful network of housing professionals who help with this search.  Plus, there are fellow servicemembers around who own homes and need someone to keep them occupied when they move on.  I don't have much of an agenda set up for this trip because I really just want to look around and get to know the city and the suburbs.  It's a unique opportunity and I have faith that I'll find something perfect.

About the photo:  It's a Hipstamatic shot.  There was a special last weekend with some new lenses and films and I am in love with this "tintype" version.   My friend, John, and I were walking out to the car and I saw this nest and really wanted the shot.  He stared at me as I explained that I needed to try out some new film and lenses.  Then he reminded me that I was holding my phone...haaaaaaaaaa  Whatever...I live in a world where a phone has film and lenses and I love it!

Week 12 - Following Life's Curves

My pic of the week is this little shot of my nametag from the course I attended last week.  My future command job is the latest curve in my life.  I'm thrilled and excited to see where that curve leads because, from this vantage point, I can't see exactly around it...but, I'm ready to go!

Week 11 - The Possibilities are Endless

I missed last week.  But, I'm okay with that.  My life has been a little bit off kilter lately.  But, again, I'm okay with that.

I made up for it this week by exercising.  I hate admitting that exercise actually makes me feel like a more positive, productive and overall normal human being.  But, it does. I'm okay with that.

While out for a run today, I saw this bit of junk and saw the possibilities.  It's a flower.  It's flowing.  It's paper.  It's layers and layers of exploration.  After a few miles (okay, just two) my mind was 100% off of work and the frustration and ludicrous (my boss's word) issues we've been working lately and fully engaged in the world around me.  A little '80s rock in some new kickass headphones helped, but I didn't even have to try to see things more clearly.  They were just there...in a pile of construction trash.

I'm ready to move.  Okay, not really.  I'm mentally ready to move to a new job, but I have a lot to do to transition. The possibilities, though, are amazing...and that's what matters this week!!

Life of Excitement

My couch, Roger, and I have a very special relationship.  We spend way too much time together.  But, my other buds, Frankie & Brando, are fellow couchaholics, too.  

My day job has been less than rewarding, lately, with lots of administrivia and very little result.  I know that's not new for a staff job, but it's still not very fun.  

There's a window of hope, though, in that I get to move to Charleston in a few months.  It's going to be an even bigger job and may be just as crazy, but at least it'll be different!!!  

I need to savor the couch and kitty time while I have it, I guess...

 ...even if it's boring.

I'm going to get another beer and savor my peace and quiet.

Focus on Life: The Journal Page as a Doorway

My life has been really undramatic lately.  I guess I wouldn't call it boring, but it's really not all that exciting most of the time.  I can go through a whole weekend day and not speak to anyone.  Isn't that weird?  

I was home a lot this week after getting some periodontal work done (i.e. gums cut to shreds!!) so I didn't think about Sally's prompt until this weekend.  I've been doing more painting, lately, and love the feel of a squiggling swirling line.  I played on this journal page trying to open up my mind and get the positive energy moving.  So, I can go loose on my interpretation of this week's prompt and say that this journal page worked as a door to bring some creativity to the surface.  

And that's about all the excitement I have to share.  Time to get back to Roger, my couch, for our Sunday nap ritual.  :)

Focusing on Life: Monochromatic and Percolated

I'm a photo app kinda girl.  I love me some quality time on the iPad with some creator's inventive way to manipulate and play with photos I've taken. 

For this week's "one" photo, I went back into my vault of black and whites...keeping it monochromatic...and tried out a new app that I found out through some friends on Facebook (thanks, Sue & Nancy).  It's called Percolator.

It was hard to step out of the colorworld, since I was feeling pretty colorful this week.  But, following Sally's prompt, I enjoyed time in the grey world.

This is a shot of a gorgeous chandelier in the Bellagio that I took when I was in Vegas for Mother's Day last year with my ma.  It's all dotted up and ready to go.  Love the tones and the texture.  I think it'll have to get printed....and at least put up on the fridge.

Tons of friends have joined in on the "one a week" idea to focus on life.  They'll be linked over at Sally's Studio Sublime.