Abstract

On the way to the GO Train I spotted some interesting shapes. Hope that you have a fantastic Canadian Thanksgiving!

this is actually a bank of hanging strings of lights.

the ceiling on the way to Union Station

The irony of being out of focus, while being focused

I've been meaning to take a self portrait for a while. In my mind it was going to be crazy artsy. I would be beautiful. I would look like the very best version of me. My pores would be breathtaking.....

Instead, I look like me - with a wonky eye due to a bit of movement during the long exposure. 

I like to bite my pinky when I work. Do I do it because I get paid one miiiillion dollars, or because it helps me focus; you decide.

That right hand is working hard.....

Today's challenge - try to be present in the world around you.  Hold a door open for someone. Make eye contact when they say thank you. Feel happy even if they don't say thank you. You may be surprised at how nice this will make you feel inside.


Also, it's one of the random acts on the Random Act of Kindness site. 

Let's Cuddle it Out - 31 Day Project, Day 5

I worked late tonight, which meant that I only got to see my muse for half an hour before she went to bed. I miss her on these nights and I delay bed time as much as possible to extend the moments with her.

Once we finished reading her bed time story, I scooped her up, she cuddled into my shoulder and I sang 4 songs to extend the time with her even longer.

When I was pregnant I thought I had it all figured out - my husband would drop her off at daycare in the morning and I would pick her up. One of us would get to work late; the other would get to work early. I'd only have to do one half of her care. Perfect. Right?

Fast forward to today, my husband and I extend our mornings with her and our evenings with her; she is one of the best parts of each of our days. 

I want to freeze our time together, the three of us locked together in the most perfect moment. I want to freeze the feeling of her melted against my shoulder before I put her to sleep. I want to imprint the smell of her neck, and the sound of her giggles in my mind forever. I want to experience the joy I feel when my husband gushes about how he thinks our progeny is amazing.

Oh my gosh, I totally just mom'd-out on you. See, the importance of being present is that these moments slip through our fingers, and we need to take time to cuddle it out. I cuddled it out this evening, and it was awesome. I savoured my time.


Oh, and I took a picture today. I'm still in love with tilt shift, so I tried to take my own tilt shift picture to edit. These views are from my office - it was a lovely fall day. Get out and enjoy these days before winter comes to bite you!

A matter of perspective

Having a baby can give you perspective. It can also give you stretch marks. I'm going to focus on the former, not the latter.

When you have a child, your priorities change. You change. You stop swearing. You start eating your vegetables. You get life insurance.  You become a model for this tiny person you brought into the world. No pressure, right?

For me, having my muse changed my perspective a lot. I became more considerate; I was surprised to discover it wasn't about ME all the time. I even became okay with that. 

I shifted to being a more considerate person. Holding doors open, letting people cut in front of me in traffic,trying to actually hear people.

Today's 31 day challenge topic is about being present with those in my life.

As I mentioned before, I'm not always present. Even when I'm in a conversation I can sometimes be focused on what is coming next. So, I'm working to shift my perception even more - I'm focusing my energy on the people in my life. Starting small, connecting; one conversation at a time.

And....in honour of shifting perceptions today's photo is an experiment in tilt shift photography. If you don't know anything about tilt shift, watch this video. It's tres cool. 

original

tilt shilt, via photoshop

What is amazing that just by changing the perspective, that the picture can have a totally differnt.

{edit} - So I had just had day surgery and was under the effects of some divine anesthetic when I posted this. Clearly I thought I had made a complete thought. I was wrong. Regardless, I meant to say that perspective is everything, and it can change your world and how you experience it.


original photo sourced here.

31 day project – day 3

So, I haven’t really spoken about my 31 day project, because I have been busy trying to experience it.

I like to be busy; I like to have a million things on the go. Unfortunately, my mind is always running, thinking about the next thing, not noticing that I’m missing out on the moment. I have half a mind here, half a mind there.

Over the last few months I’ve worked hard to quiet my mind and be more in the moment, it was a lot easier when I was on mat leave. Now that I am back at work, my mind is constantly filled with a list of tasks. The constant whir of my mind may be unavoidable, now that I’m managing more things on a day to day basis, but there is a time and a place.

Every morning my muse wakes around 6:30, I make her a bottle, pick her up and rock her in her nursery chair. She’s so cuddly and cute wrapped in her footed pj’s. While she eats, my mind slips away; making lists, planning the day. I’m daydreaming. I’m barely present.

“Cherish every moment, they grow so fast.” Hopefully I’ll have some fond memories of the time I spent making lists, while she was still young enough to cuddle in my arms. Ouch.

So, first real task on for my 31 day challenge.....be present during the morning bottle. Soak in the limited time I have with her at this age. Cuddle, kiss, relax.

I adore the mornings with her, we're both pretty excited to see each other again.
She's currently fascinated with 'Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See.' We read it about 10x a day. 

Today's Muse. Miss J

Rainy days can be beautiful when you are snuggled inside with the one you love......or the ones you love.

Here's a quick shot of my dear friends with their new baby girl. The full suite will follow in a few days, but I had to post a sneak peek.

The rest of my day will be spent snuggled inside with the ones I love. I suggest you do the same!

go mom! go dad! you did it!

31 days + 365 days = You really need more things to do?

I love a full plate.
I hate a full plate.

I know, I know, I'm awash with contradictions. I live by double standards. While I find this 365 project really inspiring, at times I find that it's just another line on my 'to do' list. And then I read this post. 
The author begins, noting that all her childhood pictures could fill 1/3 of a shoebox. All my childhood pictures could fit in a small envelope. I think I have 7, and that's including a 35mm photo slide from the 80's.
 
This part of her post stuck with me: 
"You've gotten a tour of some of the meaningful images in my life, now it's your job to capture them for those you love. Together, I hope we can learn how to make your images great, so one day your kids and grandkids will have more than part of a shoebox of images."


When my daughter was born I made it my mission to make sure that she would have more than a shoebox of images. A few people made fun of my photo-pilgramage, but they didn't know why I HAD to take so many pictures.
"Does she look like you, or your husband, as a baby?" I dislike that question because I don't know. I don't have any baby pictures. The youngest picture I have is when I'm about 3.

I'm not here to complain about that; I look with love on the pictures I do have of my muse. Photography Mission Accomplished.

Capturing her special moments has become an automatic response, almost like sneezing into your elbow; something you had to remember to do at first, but now do it without thinking. Unfortunately sometimes I am so caught in capturing the moment, that I am not present in it. Eeep. One problem solved, and another begins.


So, my tack-on project to my 365 project is my very own 31 day project; to be more present on a daily basis, but mostly while I am shooting.

So, I made breakfast with my muse this morning, we made pancakes. She stirred the batter, she poured in the ingredients - with a little help from mom. It was a really beautiful morning, a really beautiful memory. I didn't capture any shots during the stirring or the cooking because I was enjoying every second.

So, a memory has slipped by without me capturing it, but I did capture the aftermath, I hope that these will be enough to spur on the memory of the first time she made me breakfast.

babies are notoriously bad at cleaning up after themselves

raspberry and blueberry pancakes

she sat on the counter and whisked everything together