Thursday, December 29, 2011

Coming back

I sort of took two weeks off of my project.  Sort of.  I took some pictures.  But definitely not every day.  And I definitely didn't post any of them.

But it was really nice and I enjoyed it.

The funny thing about the last few weeks is that I was so looking forward to a slow down in the pace of life.  A little time to breathe.  When the semester ended, I had hoped all things would slow down.  In the month of December?  Really?  So in the midst of my slow down, I was surrounded by different kinds of to do lists... shopping, errands, driving, family, friends, obligations, traditions.  You know the normal list.

But here I sit, on the other side of all of the holiday craziness.  Some of the tasks I completed, but others went unfinished.  This year I didn't do much baking on my own.  Certainly no cake balls (bummer!).  But my mom made sugar cookie dough and I made those cookies with my dad.  How is that for a new tradition?  That was a special moment.  I didn't do very personalized, thoughtful gifts this year.  But the gifts that I did give were out of a spirit of love and that is all that matters.

It was a good holiday season.

As we anticipate ringing in the new year, I am still reflecting on the year that is coming to an end...

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Day 61 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 61:
Thursday, December 15, 2011

I don't know if it is because I'm lazy or not but today is another Pacey picture.  You give him a box and he is ALL about it.  



I went to yoga tonight after work.  Hopefully I can start going more often now (ahh, the slow down).  I had tried a different studio on Sunday (a room temperature studio) but tonight it was back to the hot yoga studio (funk yeah!).  When I first started hot yoga, I wasn't sure if I would like it.  Now, it doesn't seem to feel right if the room isn't at least 95 degrees.  What a progression!  Actually, I feel like my threshold for hot has changed in all my life (time to crank the water heater up!).

Who would have thought hot yoga could be so liberating?

Tonight was a good class even though it wasn't my favorite teacher.   She kept talking about being fully present in the moment (ironic of course, since that is kind of my theme right now).  She talked about how 'the now' is all we have.  Accept your reality, she said.  Be there.  Be in the moment, whether it is busy or still.  Be there and accept it.  Know how it makes your body and mind and heart feel.

If you really accept your reality, only then can you really be in the moment.  Ahhhhhhhh.  It so often comes back to acceptance.  Maybe this is a valid point.  If you accept your reality for what it is, and really own it, then why would you need to be anywhere else?  Besides you'll get there eventually... as it turns out, contemplation leads to action.  Contemplate your moment, accept it, and then follow your desire to act.  Who knows where it will lead?

Day 60 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 60:
Wednesday, December 14, 2011

I'm obsessed with the lights!  But I think I'm getting closer and closer to what I'm aiming for.  I like this one (except for the spot in my camera but you almost can't see it in this photo).



Tonight was a little happy hour work party and we took our Christmas spirit to a new level with our sweaters.  My boss wore a leopard print Santa hat and there was a specially written Christmas carol.  We definitely brought our A-game holiday spirit to the party!

Good times.  :)


Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Day 59 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 59:
Tuesday, December 13, 2011

This isn't quite what I'm going for.  But it is closer.  As long as I'm taking baby steps, then it is all good.  It's all about growth.  And the journey.

Well, kind of...

Except that I cannot get rid of the black speck in my camera.  Seriously.  Am I missing something here?




Monday, December 12, 2011

Day 58 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 58:
Monday, December 12, 2011

The semester is coming to an end.  My students take their final on Tuesday (actually I'm writing this a day late so they are taking their final in just a few moments!).  Then there will be grading of course.  Lots of grading.

But then...

The slow down.

I've been thinking of all of the things I will do with this slower season of life.  I'm most looking forward to reading more again and knitting!

I love books.  I love to own them.  I gather them and put them in an obscure order of priority for reading them.  And then I switch the order because I get so excited about one.  But there is always a stack of books waiting for me.

This is my stack...  and I have a virtual stack in my Amazon wish list.

I'm going to start with 'The girl with the dragon tattoo' because that one has been in the pile since last Christmas.  And because the movie comes out next week!  So here I go - setting some crazy goal of finishing the book by Christmas.

Go big or go home, right?


I'm playing with my camera a little more and am looking forward to doing a little more of that during 'the slow down'.  Above we have no flash (also no tripod so maybe kind of blurry) and below we have flash.

On the left you'll see, that my spot is back.  Aaaghh!  I can't get rid of it!  I don't understand.  I got rid of it.  Why is it back?  What is it?  So now I need to go to the camera store and have them look at my macro lens AND my camera.  I'm falling apart here.


Another part of the slow down... knitting.  I can't wait!  My first project is going to be fingerless gloves.  I've been wanting to make a pair for awhile.  I even have the yarn and pattern.

Ahhh, the slow down.  This is going to be good.

Day 57 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 57:
Sunday, December 11, 2011

I am absolutely head-over-heals in love with this picture!

Courtesy of the iPhone.

Sarah said that Pacey looks pissed.  I think he's just sleepy.  He works hard, you know?

Again - LOVE this pic!


Day 56 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 56:
Saturday, December 10, 2011

Christmas lights.

Not quite the way that I want.  I think I need to use my macro lens but it is making this awful clicking noise.  Oy.  I guess it's time to take it to the camera shop and hope they can fix it!  I was playing around with this a little and will certainly do more of the lights.

Until I get it just the way I want.

Persistance pays.  ;)




Day 55 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 55:
Friday, December 9, 2011

Science day at a local middle school.  Exhilarating.  Exhausting.  Epic?  I guess so!

First accumulation of snow today too.  Oh dear, it's here.

But is it here to stay?  Nah, it's not quite cold enough.



Day 54 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 54:
Thursday, December 8, 2011

Last day of classes!  Wow, this semester flew by so quickly.

A little Christmas bling.  ;)


And several more posts to go... I'm way behind here!  I took my pictures but did not post.  Oh the shame... ;)

Day 53 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 53:
Wednesday, December 7, 2011

There isn't a day 53 picture.

In it's place are the memories of a four and a half hour dinner with the women from my trip to Africa!

It was such a great night.  In the moment.  Long dinner.  Talking, laughing, savoring.

Good times.  No picture.  :)

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Day 52 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 52:
Tuesday, December 6, 2011

This didn't work so well.... probably should have used my other lens.  Hmm.  Next time.

Can you see my reflection?



Monday, December 5, 2011

Day 51 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 51:
Monday, December 5, 2011

It seems like every year I struggle to get into the Christmas spirit.  I assume it is because there is always so much else going on.  It seems like November and December area always so hectic as it is... without the holidays!  It's always a rat race, so much going on at work and in all of life.

I'm in the final push for the semester.  Just over a week left.  This morning was the last day of lab.  One week left means two lectures to give.  A final exam to give (and finish writing).  And literally a ton of stuff to grade for my lab section and lecture.  But it is the final push.  So today at work, I sang 'the final countdown'.  If life should be more like a musical, then shouldn't I sing a little more often?  :)

So of course it is busy and hectic.  It's December!  It's the holidays!  It's the end of the semester!  I've got so much I need to do!  So much I want to do!

But...  I've been taking moments to slow down.  To consider the season.  I've been listening to Christmas music already and trying to get into the mood!  It fits right into my new practice of being fully present in the moment.

This moment just happens to include sequins Christmas trees!  Love!


Sunday, December 4, 2011

Day 50 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 50:
Sunday, December 4, 2011

I took 'How do you measure a year?' from a musical, one of my favorites!  Tonight I saw Les Mis for the first time ever and I loved it.

If only all of life was a musical...

Dream the dream.


Day 49 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 49:
Saturday, December 3, 2011

It was such a gloomy day... Kind of matched my mood.  I was tired from my work holiday party last night and just wasn't feeling inspired to do much of anything.  Unfortunately, I'm still in that season of life where I have much to do.  And so I nurtured my desire to be lazy and stayed in sweat pants all day.  But, I managed to get quite a bit done and accomplished!

Got a few Christmas things out finally!  I have a feeling much of my December pictures will be decor-related.  But I love taking pictures of Christmas lights.  I want to learn how to get them better - how to get it to look like pictures I have seen before.  And so, I'll practice!



Hopefully soon I can get back on schedule with my posts.  The last week of classes is this week and then my students have their final on the following Tuesday!  It's the final push!

Day 48 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 48:
Friday, December 2, 2011

I'm glad to see this week end.

I'm lazy and using another picture of my December calendar...

I like this one though, the way it is off focus and the perspective.  The number 2 pin goes up today.


Day 47 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 47:
Thursday, December 1, 2011

Exam day for my students so I drank my morning coffee from my lucky coffee cup.  Here's hoping they do okay!

December 1.  I've been doing this little calendar for as long as I can remember.  My Grandma made it for me in 1982.  It's one of my favorite holiday traditions.  It reminds me of my childhood and the anticipation and it connects me with fond memories.


I got the spot off of my camera, wooohooo!  :)



Thursday, December 1, 2011

Day 46 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 46:
Wednesday, November 30, 2011

November is ending?  Over?  What?

Where does the time go?

I got distracted by my to-do list.  I was really into getting things finished and crossed off.  The next few days and couple of weeks are full of things that need to be done.

So I completely forgot to try to sort out the spot on my camera.

This is a new picture of the wall but the same old spot.  Ugh.


Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Day 45 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 45:
Tuesday, November 29, 2011

I was thinking of Africa tonight... so Day 45 is one of my favorite amazing hand made baskets from Africa.

What an amazing trip.  What an amazing experience.



Only one thought now...
WHAT. IS. ON. MY. CAMERA. LENS.???


And one other thought...
Why won't it come off??  UGH!  Still there after cleaning?

Double ugh!

Day 44 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 44:
Monday, November 28, 2011

Knitting night.  This is all that I accomplished.  Plus some laughter and fun...

Knitting more is in my near future.  During the slow down.  Knitting and reading!  Can't wait!  And sitting in the quiet moments.  


Day 43 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 43:
Sunday, November 27, 2011

A public display of gratitude.  Courtesy of the iPhone.  Not so super, iPhone camera.   You can do better, right?  You usually do better iPhone camera.  This makes me sad...



Day 42 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 42:
Saturday, November 26, 2011

I love long weekends.  Love them.  We should implement four day work weeks always.  How amazing would that be?

Another beautiful fall day.


Day 41 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 41:
Friday, November 25, 2011

Black Friday people.  One of these days I'm going to do the insane shopping in the middle of the night.  Or something.  One of these days.

Today was pleasant and unseasonably beautiful...


I LOVE this picture!

Day 40 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 40:
Thursday, November 24, 2011

Today we celebrate.  We eat and we laugh.  We eat some more.  We watch football.  And play with the cat.  And eat some more.  We take naps.  We laugh.  We enjoy the moment.

We appreciate the moment.

Today I am thankful.  I hope you are too.

Happy Thanksgiving (belated!) everyone!  :)


Yummmmmy.  :)

And I'm back!

Ahhhh, sometimes I just need to take a deep breath and a small break.

It feels good to push myself.  I've always been a pusher, anxious to do anything and everything.  I'm always too busy!  But sometimes it feels good to acknowledge and accept when I need some quiet time.  When I need a slow down.  This has been a busy and draining season.  Don't get me wrong though - I'm grateful for it.  It's been amazing with interesting challenges and opportunities.  Time to learn and grow.  And to take pictures everyday!  :)  But I'm ready for the slow down.  For the opportunity to sit in quiet.  For continued opportunities to learn and grow, but in a season of contemplation perhaps.

The slow down is coming.

Since we just had Thanksgiving, it's so good to pause and count our blessings.  It's so good to dwell in gratitude.  It's so good to dwell in the moment - to really be fully present in it.  No matter what.  That has been one of my challenges lately.  Be in this moment.  It's the only one that matters.  Appreciate this moment.  Take a deep breath and appreciate it.  

Each day, I write a list of the five things that day that I am most grateful for.  I have a little journal I've kept for years.  Sometimes it becomes this thing that I just do because it is what I do... Lately, I have a new spark for it.  It goes with pushing myself to be fully present and in this moment.  And it's the season of gratitude after all!

So tonight, I'm thankful.  I'm thankful for the little breaks, even if lately they have been few and far between lately.  I'm thankful for leftover pumpkin pie with streusel topping.  I'm thankful for my friends and family.  I'm thankful for my 365 project!  I'm thankful for this day and its ups and downs and highs and lows!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Day 39 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 39:
Wednesday, November 23, 2011

You are a masterpiece.  Just the way that you are.  Embrace it.  The good, the bad, all of it.

Today was a beautiful sunny fall day!  Love it.  Nice way to start a long holiday weekend!  

I'm grateful for today, for this moment...


Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Day 38 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 38:
Tuesday, November 22, 2011

I hate milk.  Hate.

So here's to almond milk, of the vanilla variety.  Hopefully it doesn't taste like milk at all.  Maybe now I can enjoy oatmeal a little more and who knows, maybe even enjoy a little bowl of cereal!  

Here's to something new...


Monday, November 21, 2011

Day 37 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 37:
Monday, November 21, 2011

Ahhh, Monday...  Did you enjoy it?

I took full advantage of the day.  Productive at work.  Engaged in yoga.  Early to bed.

And this photo turned out better than I thought it might.

Not so bad for a Monday!  :)


Sunday, November 20, 2011

Day 36 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 36:
Sunday, November 20, 2011

When I was younger, even in high school and college, I think I did a decent job at living in the moment.  Like really enjoying and being in the moment.  Not worrying about the future or what was to come.  I was passionate about taking full advantage of every moment of my life!

These days I'm not so good at it.  Sometimes I'm thinking about the past and how things have changed.  But I'm often thinking about the next step - what is going to happen?  What does the future bring?  Where will I end up?  How does it all end?  The list of questions is long.

But what about this exact moment?  This moment is all that I have.  It is all that any of us have.  

I'm working really hard to get back to that attitude... the almost childlike amazement with the present moment... living each moment to its absolute fullest... living fully present.  

So during this season as the days get shorter and colder, it is my impulse to countdown until spring gets here.  Until life sprouts up where there has been death.  Spring - I long for it and I love it!  And it represents new possibilities, new life!   

But... this is where I am.  I know that the outside world shows me a season that I do not enjoy.  Fall is fully here and winter is just around the corner.  The truth is, fall is beautiful.  And you have to have fall and winter to enable the new life of spring.  In my own season of life, I am in a state of uncertainty.  I am tired and worn out from a busy time.  I am not sure what the future brings.  I'm not sure what I long for.

My hope for this 365 project is that it helps to ground me in the moment.

This moment is all that I have.  And I will embrace it!  

(It all sounds very 'yoga-speak' as I like to call it... these days, I LOVE 'yoga speak'!)  :)



Saturday, November 19, 2011

Day 35 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 35:
Saturday, November 19, 2011

I heart Saturdays.


I've been a little lazy with my project since I got back from DC.  


So today is yet another Pacey picture because I just couldn't resist.  He is passed out!





Day 34 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 34:
Friday, November 18, 2011

I should have taken a better picture today.  I had the opportunity... a fun night with friends.

Ah, but I didn't.

So this picture represents comfort to me - my favorite blanket to cuddle up with.


Day 33 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 33:
Thursday, November 17, 2011

It is starting to feel like winter but I'm still clinging to fall.  I'll keep clinging as long as possible or at least until after Thanksgiving.  


Day 32 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 32:
Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Longest. Day. Ever.

Last day of the meeting.  My poster presentation (went really well!).  Flight home.  Exhausted.

DC was great, the meeting was great!  There was something very exhilarating and refreshing about this meeting and about being away from my everyday reality for a few days.  It was fun to see old friends and meet new people.  

But it is always great to make it back to the comfort of home.  

And a certain faucet-drinking cat was pretty excited to see me!!  :)


Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Day 31 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 31:
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

A long lunch break from the meeting is enough time to quickly walk around some of the DC monuments. I love the monuments and was excited to see the new MLK one.

This is the view of the Thomas Jefferson monument from the MLK monument.  It just looks surreal, doesn't it?  I like this shot.



One of my favorite MLK quotes...


Got several other great pics today too (and of course, the meeting was good!).  Probably will do a DC post later on.

Day 30 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 30:
Monday, November 14, 2010

More DC.  More meeting.  All good stuff.  

Today, we stumbled upon these funny little bug things in a garden.  More weird than cute really.  



And then a photo shoot with a motel room key... Yep, there are places out there that still have keys like this!  They are motor inn motel type places - sketch.  Who knows why my buddy Bryan picked this place for his hotel but it definitely makes for good stories!




Day 29 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 29:
Sunday, November 13, 2011

Swanson Lab party - past and present.  Kicked off with happy hour in a hotel room.  

This is how it is done.

Fun!





Sunday, November 13, 2011

Day 28 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 28:
Saturday, November 12, 2011

I'm in DC, a city I absolutely love!  I'm here for a work conference and so far it has been good.  Good to learn.  Good to see some old friends.  Good to think and plan for the future.

I haven't felt like lugging my super heavy camera around the meeting all day because I've been lugging my super heavy laptop.  That leaves boring pictures.  Maybe tomorrow, I'll leave the laptop in favor of the camera and then sneak away to see a few sites.

This room is really small.  Cute, but small.  At least I have a swipe key (haha, my friend is in a cheap hotel in the city with a key on a keychain)!


My view... wish it was warm enough to get in the pool!



One of the intentions of this project is to practice photography.  Get better.  Think outside the box, push the limit, look at things from new points of view.

Sometimes though, it's just a documentation of my life it seems.

Either way, time is flying.  I can't believe I'm four weeks in.  Who knows where the rest of this year will take me.  The possibilities are exciting!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Day 27 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 27:
Friday, November 11, 2011 (11.11.11, woo!)
Still one day behind on the posts... ;)

30,000 feet in the air.

I love looking out over the world from the plane.  It's such an expansive point of view.  And it reminds me that we are all connected.  We are all just a small part of something so much bigger.  There is life all around us.

It makes me think of an Alanis Morissette song - 'I am a citizen of the planet, my frontier is on an airplane...'

It's true.  I am a part of a community but am a citizen of the planet.  If everything is connected, then how can I make sure that I pay it forward?  Kindness should flow through, from one community to the next.  Helping others should flow through.  Taking care of the environment should flow through.  We each have a role.  We each have responsibility.

If I'm a citizen of the planet, I want to be a good one.


Friday, November 11, 2011

Day 25 and 26, My 365 - How do you measure a year?

Days 25 and 26
Wednesday, November 9 and Thursday, November 10, 2011

I'm behind.  

Absolutely an insane week.  Not a bad week necessarily but busy.  Very busy.  

I still took my pictures just no posts.  

I've had a lot going on, lots to think about.  Lots to work on.  I'm enjoying the process.  But I am ready for a little bit of a slow down.  I'm about a month away from that slow down when my first semester of teaching undergrad biology will come to an end.  

So, day 25... Wednesday.  

My Michigan holly, from the farmer's market several weeks ago.  Love it.  Isn't it great?  



Day 26... packing.  Sigh.  

I. hate. packing.  I am the worst kind.  An over packer.  Ugh.


Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Day 24 - My 365, How do you measure a year?

Day 24:
Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Can't seem to keep track of what day it is lately...  All day today I thought it was Thursday.  And I still keep typing October for the month.  Geez.

Am I stuck in some sort of strange time warp?

My little Christmas cactus knows that winter is coming.  It's blooming!

Love!