What Defines You?

I start a new job on Tuesday, which is to say it’s a freelance gig, but I am so excited nonetheless. Some of you may know that I’ve been out of work for north of six months. A lot can happen in six months. An unbelieveable lot. When you are working full-time, sometimes the idea of being unemployed even for a short time takes on a rosy, sort of romantic glow. It seems delicious, doesn’t it? But no, it isn’t what you imagine. I did not once, contrary to one thoughtless question, spend my days eating bon bons and watching soap operas. I worked full-time, and then some, at networking and finding a new place to hang my hat. I went to the gym almost daily where I learned that Regina Spektor’s complex song ‘All The Rowboats’ deftly synchronized the movements of everyone in the gym, from people on ellipticals and bikes as well as weight-lifters. When you are a designer, you impose patterns where they are not always evident. I went to my ballet and modern dance classes, where I made progress, and made friends. I became a human rolodex, having coffee, lunch, dinner and wine with acquaintances and strangers alike, listening and sharing bits of myself, and gaining a little from each person I met. I went to networking events at 7:00am and at 9:00pm. I wore nametags, and shook hands with authors as well as young women in high school. I memorized my elevator speech better than Prospero’s final speech in The Tempest, which I had to learn in high school English class. I weeded my closet. I weeded my closet again. I helped a friend conceptualize a bridal show. I renewed and nurtured a friendship with an old colleague who was also recently displaced. I hung a painting in a gallery, with their permission no less. I interviewed for jobs I did not want just for the experience of interviewing. I built an online portfolio. And then another. I participated in a hundred webinars, on networking, resumes, professional marketing plans, and interviewing. I learned who my friends are. I do not mean that as a sideways slur against anyone who might not be a friend. I got more encouragement and support than I deserve, and people came out of the woodwork to introduce me to someone who might be helpful to know. Friends went on walks with me, and took me out for pizza and beer and let me ramble. I sent more ‘thank you’ chocolate through the US Postal Service than any non-commercial enterprise in US history. I ran in the Komen Race for the Cure for the first time (Thank you Stephanie and Team Perez!), after working at the event for several years. (Okay, “ran” is a misleading, but I gave it an honest go.) There were small miracles around every corner, opportunities for me to grow and to learn humility. I learned that, while I love what I do, my job alone does not define me. I have green eyes, a quirky sense of humor, and can make a meaner granola than the gal who works at the health food store. I like lavender, chocolate and singing in the car. Orange is currently my favorite color. And I can do hard things. These are the things that define me.

Blossom to Impossible Blossom

I had to send my go-to lens to the doctor this week. I decided that maybe I should make friends again with my 50mm lens. Guess what? We got along great. I took it for a walk, and we agreed that since blossoms are abound, that we should really celebrate them.

This poem fragment from Li-Young Lee pretty much sums up our adventure;

There are days we live

as if death were nowhere

in the background; from joy

to joy to joy, from wing to wing,

from blossom to blossom to

impossible blossom, to sweet impossible blossom. 

Yellow Springs

Have you ever visited Yellow Springs, Ohio? If you haven't, you should do so. Right now. The town itself is packed with charm. There are numerous cafes, book shops and galleries. Spending a day strolling around the brick buildings and stopping when the spirit strikes, and sipping iced coffee at an outdoor table seems a perfect Spring day, in a lazy, non-committal way. Stop at a healthfood store and buy crystallized ginger to snack on. It's also worth hiking through John Bryant State Park (Clifton Gorge). The hike will do you some good.

Sweetpea



I met someone pretty special this morning. Her name is Sweetpea. She's shy, though talkative. She is delicate, though she has enormous green eyes. She is curious and inquisitive. And she's looking for a home. She has been spayed, de-wormed, had her rabies shot, and is being fed both wet and dry food twice a day with her multivitamin.

She does not have fleas and her coat is healthy, and she still has her claws. She will crawl into your lap and fall asleep there, but she is still a bit skittish. I'm sure with continued love, from someone who can give her attention, her personality will blossom.

She is such a sweet kitty. Won't you take her in? Please leave me a message here or on my FB profile if you have room in your heart and home for her.

The Explorer's Club

I had the pleasure of doing a shoot at The Explorer's Club recently. Having been there before, I knew I was in for a real treat. This restaurant is really quite special. They give you a passport and each month is dedicated to a different country's cuisine. You visit, and get your passport stamped. While February is France, some Wednesday nights are Hungarian night because they sponsor a local Hungarian social club. As Chef Dan has Hungarian roots, the menu is peppered with specialties like veal paprikash and cabbage rolls. And you have to love a place where the chef visits with the patrons to talk passionately about his creations. If you happen to live in Columbus, or plan on visiting soon, go make a visit. For brunch, or lunch, or dinner. Just go, okay?

Instagram

I recently got an iPhone and, while the easy connectivity is a bonus, I've always been a little sceptical about Instagram. I'm happy to take pictures with anything ... but no knowledge of ISO settings and f-stops? And it's not like iPhones are going to displace DSLR cameras, right? Well, mostly right. You can't zoom with Instagram, and even if the post-processing effects (with names like Toaster and Willow) are really cool, there are limits to what you can do to a shot. But it's really hard to take a bad picture, so I'm hooked. If you want to see more, and follow me, please go here. While you're there, say hi, and show me some of your own stuff, okay?

5

Winter

 

I came across some pictures I took this past summer today. I looked at them, remembering that I wore shorts and sandals that day, or bought bread from the outdoor famers' market and ate ice cream with my visiting nephew, Will. We turned up the air conditioner and listed to Norah Jones singing as we drove to funky thrift stores.

 

I grew up with long, cold winters, but as a child I didn't feel terribly inconvenienced if I got to go sledding or ice-skating until it got dark or my fingers fell off. When you grow up and forgo the pleasures of sledding and ice-skating, it's a little tougher to meet winter on its own terms. But I've found that winter has its own fragile beauty. It's true, you can't just rush out the door wearing only the shirt on your back, you have to put on all these extra layers. But the things you can see; last year's nature hanging on by a thread, the rich colors and textures of decay encrusted in snow, and stacks of dry, heavy wood ready for a fire. Winter is not the carnival of color and sound that Summer is. She asks that you slow your pace, listen and observe. And you will be glad you did.

Red Barn

I met this barn today in Lancaster, Ohio. We became fast friends and felt like we'd known each other a long time. It didn't say much to me, but it didn't have to. I could see it had many stories to tell and saw a great many things in its day. Don't you just want to play the Cowboy Junkies to it?