I have this thing with blurry photos

I know some purists believe that only a technically correct photograph has value and that blurry photographs are immediately to be trashed. Well, you may not know this about me (ha!) but I’m not a purist. I’m not tied to any one idea of what’s good or bad, and moreso, I have this thing with blurry photos… I often like them. Like, really like them.

Some of it is definitely about my people-pleasing tendencies… this idea I learned as a child that bending over backwards to do what people want makes it less likely that they’ll hurt you. In that instant at least. It was a survival mechanism and it’s worked so far. Although that’s not to say I still do it. Or that I don’t. Ha!

I guess I sort of apply it to the photo – I don’t want to hurt its feelings. Because yes, didn’t you know? Photographs have feelings.

Some of it is about not wanting to commit by saying a definite no to anyone or anything.

But a lot of it is actually that I just like them. I like that they’re not clear, not obvious, not sharp… that the edges bleed together and things merge, that you can’t always tell what you’re looking at or what’s happening. I like the feeling they sometimes convey – the mystery or the obvious thing that can’t be hidden or glossed over even by a lack of focus.

I just, have this thing with blurry photos.

May the Fourth be with you

hello.

It’s been a while. How are you? Remember me? ha.

Today is #starwarsday It makes me laugh to just say May the 4th be with you. (Apparently I am still VERY easily amused). Quite appropriate. Perhaps later I’ll do my research and find out how this day was chosen. If you know, feel free to light up the darkness of my ignorance in the comments.

In case you’re wondering, I’m up in the wee hours because of heartburn. Pregnancy heartburn. Don’t tell me it means my foetus will be born with lots of hair. I’d rather they were bald, if that’s indeed the case. lol.

Anyway, I’ve been waiting pretty much since my first was born six years ago for him to be old enough to watch Star Wars with. I can’t remember when I first watched it but I immediately loved it. I’m sure he will too but I don’t know when the right time to introduce it is. What do you think? Have your kids watched it yet? How old are they? When do you think is absolutely too young? Or better yet, when do you think is old enough? I know a lot of it depends on the kid, and my instinct is that he’s almost ready. We’ll see.

And did you start at the very beginning? Or in the order the movies were released?

Important questions, huh? 😀

 

edited to add: I’ve added some links above to stuff you might find interesting and hey, you have GOT to check out the #starwarsday hashtag on twitter and instagram. So much cute stuff there.

Especially this:

 

May I ever remain unreasonable.

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world,

the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.

Therefore all progress depends on the

unreasonable man.

– George Bernard Shaw

Potato soup for the soul

We’re home today because the kiddo was up coughing last night and sniffling all weekend. So I thought today should be a resting day and he stayed home from preschool. He watched some shows on Netflix for a while, and then went off to play in the living room. I can hear him voicing different characters. He’s pretty mellow for a change. Lately he’s been sometimes frenetic. I’m imagining that some of this is due to the loss of rhythm in our daily lives in the last few months.

We’ve been discussing big changes for our lives- what, where, why, how and when… and on top of that Cameron’s been working a lot so we miss him a lot and then there was my trip to Tanzania and South Africa followed by a trip down to SoCal to visit family for Xmas and New Years… all rather disruptive. So since we got back, I’m just focused on getting through my to-do list, decluttering our home- making space for what we really want, and rebuilding our rhythm. I’ve accepted that it will take time, there are so many different things going on and we’re out of the habit but I’m confident we’ll get back into the groove.

I’m also trying to apply that acceptance to my to-do list. It’s so easy to start believing that I’m behind… on everything… in life, and that is not a motivating feeling, let me tell you. In fact, once I’ve sunk deep in the mire, the only thing I want to do is forget the whole thing. So, I’m accepting that things change. What was urgent yesterday may not be required today. So I’m getting back to basics in all things. To help me, I’ve gone back to writing lists out on paper, in my notebooks and journals. Why is it SO satisfying to cross things out? To doodle and sketch, to write and write and write?

I just realised that the most immediate change so far has been around food. I’m cooking more. And feeling more patient about it. Doing a little more than my standby baked/roasted protein and steamed veg. Including Chésaweh more, instead of trying to hold him off or distract or redirect him. It definitely takes longer but if I’m open to it, it can be a lot of fun for both of us. And he always seems a little more eager to eat it.

So, yeah. What’s up with you?

blog yourself

I’m one of those people who is forever beating themselves up about one thing or another, and my latest is this deep regret I have over not having started or stuck out this blogging thing from way back in the day when I started years and years ago. It just seems such a shame because I actually adore it and it would have been so cool to have it to look back through. That’s why I’m always encouraging everyone to blog. Because I think it’s an awesome medium for self-expression and self-publishing and it’s an opportunity to let the world know what you stand for, to tell your own story. It’s a beautiful thing and I am not squandering the chance anymore. I’ve been blogging fairly consistently for a few years now and although I’ve had months long gaps, I’ve kept coming back to it. And that’s really the big part for me, that I keep coming back and I keep posting.

I love technology so I am always signing up for the latest and greatest app and site, I love trying them out and how some things work and others don’t. Over the years I’ve had quite a few different blogs and I’m so glad that I’ve been able to merge most of them here. I still have a few more to integrate and I’ll get to it as soon as I can.

Then of course, I have images and stories I’ve stored on my computer that I’m indecisive about sharing. Sometimes I just want to let everything hang out. Other times, I’m really, REALLY worried about what people will say or think. Sheesh. Funny how that works, huh? One thing I keep leaning towards is sometimes just posting things where they ought to go. So, even though it is September 2013 (I mean, really??!! What the??? It was Jan 1st just a min ago, I swear it!!), I may post pictures on the date they were taken and write the story in first person from back then. We’ll see. It makes sense to me but of course it may make it more complicated for any current readers of this here blog to keep up with. I think if you sign up to get an email when I post to the blog, you’ll get a notice regardless of the post date. Let’s find out, shall we? Let me know, okay? And I’ll let you know. 😀

What’s your deal? Why do you blog? Do you find it tough or easy to stick to it? How do you decide what to blog about or not blog about? Preach.

on the haphazard postings

I have a problem. As you may know, I take photos every day. Every. single. day. Usually with my big girl but sometimes with whatever I can reach, my iPhone or Cameron’s or … but the problem comes because this means that I daily have anywhere between 1 and hundreds of images to upload to my computer, sort through, cull, edit, backup, share… and I haven’t been very good about doing this in a timely way… thus all my friends and family teasing me about how long it takes me to share images. I don’t mean to take so long. It’s just.

So.

Many.

Pictures.

Brain ‘splosion.

Anyway, I’m working on the last few months worth of images right now and this means that I’ll be posting more of them here. But I may not do it in any order that makes sense to you. Luckily, this is my blog so it only has to make sense (or not) to me. Right? Ha. I’m just trying to explain in advance why posts with past dates may appear in the future. Okay. That seems clear as mud now so I should probably get while the goings good.

I know it’s not everyone’s cuppa but I love this blurry shot. I think it’s very much an accurate capture of his personality. The kid moves at the speed of light and finds peace in movement. It’s just his jam. So, I have a lot of blurry shots of him. I like this one because he’s in front of this big bank of shelves full of Cameron’s pots that we have at home. It’s also the space where the two of them do their Gracie games and basically it gives me the warm fuzzies. And for me, that’s often all I need to know the shot is a keeper! That and the fact that my precious is the subject! 😀