GRATITUDES + BREAKTHROUGHS // FEBRUARY 13, 2018

Gratitudes

Monday morning I road out to Warrenton meet someone who has been wildly and silently influential on my photography journey. Michelle of Lieb Photographic was my Photography 1 teacher at Liberty High School. I was a senior and quickly fell in love with photography. We shot 35mm with black + white film and practiced dark room techniques. I wanted to continue and take Photography 2 but my parents had 3 other girls in middle + high school plus travel sports so adding a personal 35mm camera and film costs didn’t fit their budget. So I had to drop it. Grandma Jean though, always a fan of my work, saved one of my favorite prints from the class back in 2003 and gave it to be recently. It was from a field trip to town of Remington, Virginia where we let loose in the town to explore and shoot. I skipped out on the town and walked through backyards until I found the perfect subject – a lonely vintage lawn chair leaning against a small white cinder block shed. I brought it with me to show Michelle, maybe I’ll share it with you all sometime!

Networking at Blue Valley Vineyard and finally meeting Kristen Gardner of Kristen Gardner Photography was also a major highlight. The wedding industry is so small and you end up knowing so many other vendors especially photographers through social media,  word of mouth and working together. I’ve known and followed Kristen’s work from before I even owned a camera! She is a mega-talented Warrenton, Virginia wedding and portrait photographer. Almost 2 years ago we were in contact, with an opportunity for me to second shoot for her but I wasn’t available because of yoga teacher training. We stumbled upon each other this week at the networking event and now have lunch date set for two weeks from now!

Back in August my sisters gifted me a meditation app to help with settling my mind after the break-up. I’ve always enjoyed meditation but this app called Head Space really does a good job guiding you through mediations on so many topics. They have these meditation packages that you can add and work through like Change, Self Confidence, Productivity, Creativity etc. They range in time of 3 minutes up to 20. I’ve been working on them right before bed as it helps me unwind and reset for the next morning. Recently, I’ve been working on Change and I’ll explain more of that in a week or two!

Friday night I joined friends and enjoyed our annual jambalaya dinner! AJ and I go way back – like middle school, high school, college and even college roommates – his Mom every year make a huge cajun dinner for his friends. This year was no different we had close to 15 people around the dinner table enjoying homemade jambalaya and wine. I would have to guess we’ve been doing this dinner for close to 8 years! It’s so nice to have an excuse to get old friends together especially when so many have families with littles now.

If you followed my blog post from the first of the year, I mentioned I wanted to start shooting yoga teachers and yoga studios. Well, I’m happy to report I just wrapped up my first session for Stafford House of Yoga in Garrisonville. I’m so excited for how the session went and it just reconfirmed my feelings in wanting to shoot this particular community! I’ll be searching for new studios and new teachers this spring!

OPI Road House Blues from their Touring America Collection was a hit this week. If you haven’t noticed I tend to match my nail polish to my feelings for the week, this week brought with it big changes that revolve around moving. I’ll get into that later. Road House Blues though is a deep indigo that leans more towards purple. I really love it for the winter, it’s dark so can pass for navy or can catch the light and look more purple!

Breakthroughs

 One of my all time favorite songs going on 10+ years is by the Dixie Chicks. Weird I know, but their song The Long Way Around has stuck with me.

My friends from high school 
Married their high school boyfriends 
Moved into houses in the same ZIP codes 
Where their parents live

But I, I could never follow 
No, I, I could never follow

I hit the highway in a pink RV with stars on the ceiling 
Lived like a gypsy 
Six strong hands on the steering wheel

I’ve been a long time gone now 
Maybe someday, someday I’m gonna settle down 
But I’ve always found my way somehow

By taking the long way 
Taking the long way around 
Taking the long way 
Taking the long way around

I met the queen of whatever 
Drank with the Irish, and smoked with the hippies 
Moved with the shakers 
Wouldn’t kiss all the asses that they told me to

No, I, I could never follow 
No, I, I could never follow

It’s been two long years now 
Since the top of the world came crashing down 
And I’m getting’ it back on the road now

But I’m taking the long way 
Taking the long way around 
I’m taking the long way 
Taking the long way around 
The long…

The long way around

Well, I fought with a stranger, and I met myself 
I opened my mouth, and I heard myself 
It can get pretty lonely when you show yourself 
Guess I could have made it easier on myself

But I, I could never follow 
No, I, I could never follow

Well, I never seem to do it like anybody else 
Maybe someday, someday I’m gonna settle down 
If you ever want to find me, I can still be found

Taking the long way 
Taking the long way around 
Taking the long way 
Taking the long way around