Blessed....

Yesterday I felt overwhelmed....today I feel blessed. What a difference a day makes (and plenty of sleep).

I still have a tonne of things to do in the next two weeks before I head to Grand Bahama (yup - now can you see why I feel blessed)....the first proper beach holiday in my entire 38 and a half years of life!

I can't wait to see a blue sky, feel the sun on my skin, take photographs, fill my moleskin sketchbook up, read some great books and most importantly of all, relax with Jim. Just some us time.

And to give me a little taster, the sun poked out from behind the houses this morning to wish me a great day.

I hope your's is great too!

Overwhelmed!

The weekend just gone was Easter and I spent it with friends in Brighton, with Jim, with children and my family. It was lovely. Four days away from work, four days without commuting into London and four days with people I love.

But one thing is missing....my photo mojo. I am flagging fast and it's worrying, especially as I have committed to do a picture-a-day for a year!

Last night I did some painting - I came up with a design for another children's card...so creativity is there. But I am struggling to get the camera out.

I took some pictures on Saturday but due to building work taking place in Jim's flat, I haven't been able to upload them.

I have a million things to do in the next couple of weeks...I am waking up with my head spinning, I am going to bed thinking about it all.........maybe that is the problem.

If anyone has any tips for getting my mojo back, I would be eager to listen :o/

March highlights and an unfortunate lowlight!

March has been and gone! It is scary how quickly we will the winter to pass (and what a winter it has been) and we are now heading into Spring - I say heading as Scotland and Ireland have had the most awful snow!

Here are some of my highlights and lowlights from the month:

Finding the brilliant Hipstamatic app for the iPhone - this is great and you can get some really cool pictures using it!

Realising just how many art materials I have - finding things I haven't used in ages and admiring all the paints and paper.

St Patricks Day and seeing all the people dressed up as they visit bars in London as I am on my way home from work.

Finding Jim's old ID cards and having a giggle at his 80's hair!

Losing my car in an accident!

I love taking a photo-a-day as it is a photographic diary of your life and sometimes we forget the good and remember the bad. So even though I lost my car, I found loads of art stuff, a new iPhone app, Jims old ID cards and I learned how not to take a picture of random strangers drinking outside a pub!

Have a great Easter everyone and here's to a wonderful April.

Wise words (part 2)....

Following on from my blog Wise Words here are ten more tips for a better life!

• Drink plenty of water
• Try to make at least three people smile each day
• Don't waste your precious energy on gossip
• Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness
• Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment
• Realise that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime
• Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar
• Smile and laugh more
• Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others
• Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does

Have a great Friday and a good weekend!

Memories....

Over the weekend I had a busy time sorting through my house, clearing out lots of old stuff to make way for exciting new chapters in my life.

And when I went through boxes and shelves I found my very first 35mm camera....my old Miranda camera. Oh what memories.

My dad was a photographer in his day and right up to his death he had a camera on his table. He was never without it. And when I was a teenager he gave me this camera to use, along with another lens and a flash. There I was, all set on the road to photography at such a young age.

I didn’t understand alot of the buttons and settings, most of the pictures were more by luck than judgement, but still, there I was taking pictures with a proper camera.

On looking at it yesterday it was great to feel it again, hear that wonderful clunk as I pressed the shutter release and by instinct move the film on to the next frame using the lever. Ooh how I wanted to use it there and then.

Maybe I will get some film and have a go......and then wait excitedly for the pictures as I send it off to be developed....something that we are not used to doing now we are in the digital age.

Memories....gotta love them.....

Wise words.....

Following on from my previous post, my friend (the same one I went for a tea with) sent me a list called Tips for a Better Life. They are amazing....so I will share some with you from time to time and here are the first 10:

• Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day and while you walk, smile
• Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
• Sleep 7 hours
• Live with the 3 E's - Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
• Play more games
• Read more books than you did the previous year
• Make time to practice yoga, meditation and prayer. They provide us fuel for our busy lives
• Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6
• Dream more while you are awake
• Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants

Have a great Friday!

Wisdom....

Wikipedia - Wisdom is a deep understanding of people, things, events or situations, empowering the ability to choose or act to consistently produce the optimum results with a minimum of time and energy.

I was chatting to a dear friend last night over tea in Starbucks before we both dashed off home and I explained a situation to her regarding my family....and it suddenly dawned on me that I may well be getting wise in my old age.

My father passed away last year and recently my mum decided to re write her will so that her ‘house was in order’. She sat myself and my older brother down and discussed her requirements and what we should do in the event of her death – not exactly the kind of discussion you ever want to have, but it really does makes sense to have these things sorted out – and my brother and I had to make some decisions which will affect us and the family. Not wanting to go into too much detail, but suffice to say I made one which pleased both my mum and brother and at the same time left me feeling pleased that it had been dealt with calmly and sensibly. A few years ago I may well have made the decision based on what I thought was best for me, or maybe because I wanted to be in control of the situation, but this time I made the decision based on what was the best overall, leaving my ego at the door.

And when I explained this to my friend, I realised that I may well becoming wise....and you know what I quite liked it. I took comfort in that especially as society always is focused on age and we worry about getting old.

Next year I turn the dreaded 40 where they say life begins.....and if it’s full of wisdom then I say bring it on!