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My Life, in iPhone Photos
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A Limo, a Boat, or a Duffy
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I once read Oprah quoted, "Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down." Now, if I didn't already love Oprah, this quote alone would make me want to be her best friend. I secretly pretend we're BFFs in real life and if she'd let me come over, I'd braid her hair and her chef would make us a sensible, yet delicious, meal. Then we'd watch The Color Purple and cry at all the good parts.
Speaking of good parts, my real best friends are made of a million and one good parts. No, amazing parts. They're beautiful people who make my life better and challenge me to think beyond myself and to dream BIG. This past weekend we all happened to simultaneously be in town (except for Jennie..she's in Louisiana having adorable babies and building a farm and hosting national softball camps), so we decided to celebrate our birthdays a bit early (mine is on Saturday).
We rented boat (okay, a "boat" is a stretch of the word...it was a duffy, but still) and spent the afternoon cruising through Newport Beach. Having hours to spend with my friends makes me feel incredibly lucky and I know they'd be willing to take the bus with me any day. |
| We started our maiden voyage with a birthday toast...since I was a waitress for many years, I professionally popped the cork with style. Or so I bragged. |
| Melanie is ultra-talented. No, really. Not only is she one of the hardest working and smartest women I know, she has a voice of an angel. She's currently touring as a background singer for Taylor Swift (and, yes, we are going her concert later this summer). |
Brianna recently landed an amazing job in medical sales and she's been traveling American getting trained and poised for her new position in Los Angeles. I'm excited because every time I shoot in LA, I plan on crashing at her place to avoid traffic. I'll be like the roommate she never wanted!
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| Bianca is my twin sister and the nicer half of our duo...no, really, her life mission is to save the world. And she's doing it. She works for A21, an anti-human trafficking organization and she speaks to churches, schools, and organizations about what people can do to save girls from being sold as sex slaves. She's amazing at what she does and I'm lucky to have her as my sister. |
| Anthony probably thought he was funny making fun of me...but little did he realize I'd post his photo on the web. Boom, redemption. |
| Okay, so we accidentally crashed our duffy. Brianna ran into a restaurant and brought out bar napkins to help with the repair. This was when I explained she wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. |
| My sister requested photo credit after she took this photo....here ya go, Bianca! |
| JD wore his boating shoes for this trip. Okay, so he usually wears boating shoes, but he appeared quite nautical on Saturday. Aye, aye, Captain! |
| I packed snacks for our trip and had to bring my favorite cheese board along... |
| Melanie and David met a few years ago when they performed together with Barry Manilow in Las Vegas. Their friendship blossomed off-stage and they soon fell in love, even though most their relationship has been long-distance. As Melanie travels the world with Taylor Swift, they've worked hard at carving time for each other in New York City, where David resides. If it sounds like a lot of work, it is...but it's worth it. He's funny, talented, kind, and extremely bright, which makes him a perfect match for Mel. |
| Anthony is the newest addition to our group of friends. Hailing from Phoenix, Arizona, Anthony is a financial planner and really good at what he does. But that's just the story of his life...Anthony is the type of person who doesn't know how NOT to be good at something. He's considerate, intentional, and the guy who knows someone every time he walks into a Phoenix restaurant. Brianna and Anthony went to the University of Arizona together and recently started dating...something we couldn't be happier about! |
| I'm not gonna lie. I over-thought this outfit. I can't tell if I'm tacky for taking environmental options into consideration or just well prepared for my day at sea. It's good that my friends immediately made fun of me to start the day with a warm&fuzzy feeling of self-consciousness. |
| But it's an even better thing the boat hit a bump and we almost fell in to make all of us look ridiculous... |
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What Happens When I'm Stuck?
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T here are days when I feel stuck. No matter the amount of effort I push onto my life, I simply must sit and be. And being sometimes feels like someone telling you to enjoy a spot of tea...in quicksand. I know I should lean into these moments, embrace the art of stillness, but everything in me wants to fight back. I want to raise my fists and show Stuck what I'm made of.
But that's not the point.
Some of life's greatest ideas and achievements were born in moments of stillness, moments when you feel the world is moving on without you. I know this is true, but it's sometimes hard to believe. On this beautiful Good Friday, I'm leaning into my fear of being stuck and thanking God for the opportunity to grow.
Speaking of growing, I found this art piece while surfing the web and it was one of the most beautiful city trees I've ever seen. The artist attribution is included at the end. |
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Health...Success...and Speaking in Malaysia
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L ife has been flying by with staggering speed, but this week we made time for our families and I love connecting with them because it reminds me of life's most precious gifts. Many of you might be aware of my mom's six-year battle with brain cancer and though she's been in remission for a few years now, there are times when I look across the room at her and feel like the luckiest daughter. Ever.
My mom has decided to let her grow out as a declaration of her independence. From disease...and worry. We trust her life--and the extension of her days--are a gift from God. Every day I see her, I'm reminded spending time with her is a mark of success. For her. And me.
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I measure my success not in monetary aspects or awards or titles...if I have time to invest in her, all while keeping my clients happy, I'm a smashing success. I mean it.
Another joy of running my own business is being able to travel the world and I'm thrilled to announce I'll be speaking at the WORLD PHOTO FEST in Malaysia next month. On April 28, 2013, I'll be a keynote speaker in Penang Island. I'm excited because this is my first time exploring this part of the globe, so if you happen to live there, I'd love to connect.
You can register for the event HERE.
Happy Monday! |
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Friday Randomness : Me + My Bad Ideas
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S ometimes I come up with ideas and I think they're pretty awesome. But that's only because I work alone in my office. If I had, say, human interaction on a normal level, I might realize my ideas are better left in my mind. Except for this one idea. I thought about inventing stickers I could place at the bottom on my feet when I have to take off my shoes and walk through airport security. When I don't wear socks, I want to scorch the bottom of my feet after walking through the metal detector. I mean, how many toes had been where my toes were planted? Ick.
So my idea is to make slips of paper for the bottom of my feet that I could peel off and throw away after my X-ray walk through. Sort of like Post-It Notes for your feet. But cooler.
Oh and then I had an idea for germ disinfectant for your clothes. It'd be like Lysol for your jacket. Because how many times have you sat next to someone you're sure is going to give you SARS?
Back when I was in high school, I wanted to invent graph paper on Post-It notes for my math problems. I still think this is a good idea.
I guess my invention ideas revolve around germs and Post-It notes, but really...one of these might be a hit. Okay, probably not, but I'd like to believe one day I'll come up with something you'd want to buy if you're up late one night watching an informercial. BUT WAIT...THERE'S MORE...!
Speaking of informercials and major wastes of time, here are a few things I found on the internet that made me smile...like this device you can make personalized pieces of toast with. Dear JD...please don't forget to take out the trash. Love, me |
| I'd likely buy this as a poster. My humor is questionable, at best. |
| I have no idea why, but I'm smitten with these push pins...die. |
| I want to buy a pair...immediately. |
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