Life without Digital

Yesterday I gave back the digital camera I was borrowing from a friend. I have to say that I really enjoy both film and digital equally-both having their advantages and disadvantages. I almost have a sense of loss without the digital--I was getting used to its ease and convenience, although this particular camera was without some features (i.e. only sepia and not black & white).

Goodbye for now, digital....until we meet again....

#17

So I finished another book today...which brings my grand total for the year to 17. I have already surpassed my goal (which was 15) so now I can relax. This is the first time in years since I set book reading goals that I haven't been scrambling to reach my goal. Good thing...

The book I finished today was a little light reading from Christian fiction author Karen Kingsbury. I have read a lot of tough books lately and needed a little easy reading. I totally got sucked into the book on my plane ride last weekend and since then couldn't put it down. If you ever want some "fluff" her books will do the trick!

You can visit her web site: www.karenkingsbury.com

ick...

After several days of nonstop nausea, I am finally feeling better. At least I wasn't like my sister-in-law and nephew, who couldn't keep their lunches because of this bug that's going around. You really don't realize until you are sick for more than a few days how much you take for granted when it comes to your health. For example, I drink all day long (water, juice, tea, coffee) but when I felt sick any time anything hit my stomach, I didn't realize how good it was to have a cool glass of H2O refresh my throat....one sip at a time, for now.

Sadness

Late last night, I got an email from one of my mom's cousins letting us know that my cousin's brother, Jeff, died of esophagal cancer on October 4, 2006. This was sad news to my entire family. Especially since he has a loving wife and two children.

This brought to mind a song I have been listening to by Sam & Ruby...

Life's hard
I've always known that
Never been handed no welcome mat
When I die, please don't cry
'Cause Heaven's my home anyhow

Thank goodness he's home.

Bub

Yes, he hates it...the nickname I gave my brother. After I was aptly nicknamed "Sputley" (aka Sputs) I tried to come up with something original and they only thing that came to mind was "Bub." Yet it kinda has that Ren & Stimpy feel to it!

Anyway, it always amazes me that my brother and I (he is five years my senior) always manage to have fun and act goofy at the expensive of our dignity. Our latest adventure included doing the "Hey, hey we're the Monkees" walk through Walmart followed up with a long-stride walk while swinging our arms and turning our heads. We got so into it, in fact, that we almost ran over a lady...

So I have to say that despite the fact that we are adults, I always appreciate the fact that we can still have fun, play and act like kids. The same is true with my sister. It may be because we had so much fun all together as kids that we can't help but want to revert back to those good times.

"If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older." Tom Stoppard

Characters

My brother recently told me a story about my four-year-old nephew and his fear of larger-than-life characters, such as the mascot for the Timber Rattlers minor league baseball team and Mickey Mouse at Disney World.

This year, however, on their recent trip to Disney World, he seemed less afraid of the large-headed characters. During a discussion about him overcoming his fears, he was so proud of the fact that he had now met two characters of whom he is no longer afraid. That would include Mickey Mouse and Denver of Denver and the Mile High Orchestra (www.denvermho.com).



How funny...my friend Denver has the status of Mickey Mouse. Ah kids....

Africa

I just finished the book "Season of Blood - A Rwandan Journey" by Fergal Keane, an Irish journalist. This is his account of travels in Rwanda in 1994 during the genocide. It was a deeply moving book and often had to pause reading due to the tears evoked.

Here are some quotes from the book:

How people view Africa:
We are fed a diet of starving children, of stacked corpses and battalions of refugees, and in the end we find ourselves despising the continent because it haunts and shames us.

When people ask why we should care about Africa:
that we should care because we belong to the same brotherhood of man as the citizens of seemingly remote African countries.

Regarding the genocide:
For me, however, the conclusion is unavoidable: genocidal killing in Africa diminishes all of us.

Don't forget about Africa.

Headshots

Today I took some photos for Greg & Walisa, friends & recording artists. Here are some from the shoot. Hopefully they will be up on their myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/gregandwalisa

Autumn!

I love this time of year...autumn. The leaves are starting to turn lovely colors, the air is crisp. The sounds of high school football games resonates over the wind. Today I went out and grabbed some shots with the digital camera I am borrowing. The sky was crystal clear and I managed to get some good ones! Enjoy the cool weather and the changing of the seasons!

This blog entry is dedicated to my mom, Carol Uhri, who also loved autumn.

Why?

I was watching a bit of Oprah today as she spoke with a writer for the New York Times about the truth in America. An interesting point was brought up about people in general asking the question "why?". Do we often feel that if we ask why things are happening the way we are, then we are not in support of what is going on around us? For example, if I am asking "why" there is war in Iraq, does that automatically put me in the position of not supporting our government and/or our troops?

I have always wondered this. My entire life, I have been a very curious person about a variety of things. If I don't know and want to know, I ask (or read, research...whatever). Does that mean that I'm not on any side of any issue? Why or why not?

The Digital Debate

I discovered some great comments from my faithful readers about going digital. Today and I did some headshots for a friend's company and realized the ease of going in, shooting, dumping the photos on my computer and sending them. It took less than 2 hours to do all that, including travel time.

I love the artistic value of shooting with film and will continue to do so, especially because it is the medium with which I am most familar. Yet the ease of my first official digital experience really helped me to see the value in both. I know that when I get a digital camera, it's not going to be cheap...but I realized long ago that I picked a profession/artistic method that is definitely not inexpensive, especially at first.

Thanks to everyone who commented...thanks for the advice!

Signage

Sign seen on the side of a busy road:

"Chid Care. Call -------"

If you're gonna promote your business, at least make sure you use a dictionary.

Go Digital???

I'm trapped...do I finally cross over to the other side??

A friend of mine leant me her Sony digital camera for a few weeks. So last night I started to play with it so I could get a quick pic for my profile (check it out). How easy it was to shoot the photos, dump them on my computer and post them. No waiting to develop, no printing issues...a technological "piece of cake."

Yet I have a dilemma. I LOVE the art of photography, which to me, includes the entire process. At this point, since I've only had one photography class, I feel like my skills are limited. It would be so easy to buy a great digital and just go from there. But will that diminish the quality of my photographs? Will I feel more technologically capable and more artistically incapable?

The good news is that I don't have to make a decision right now...until I have to take Digital Imaging in school. So I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it!

Don't Judge a Book....

Last year, in Estes Park, Colorado, at GMA's Music in the Rockies, I decided at long last to sponsor a child through Compassion International. It had been years since I did this...when I was in middle school I sponsored a child through World Vision. I was the worst sponsor because I didn't keep in touch with my child.

As the packets of information were handed out, I told my friend Nikki that I was hoping for a girl (I even said a little prayer). But when I got the packet, I was slightly disappointed to find a picture of what appeared to be a boy. A small, Rwandan child with short hair. In spite of my disappointment, I thanked God that He put me with the right child.

I began reading the child's profile...born in 1996 (the year I graduated high school--that gave me some perspective)...was the child of a farmer...then...she helps her parents to carry water from the well. I was SO excited! I was going to sponsor a little girl!

The reason that it was on my heart to sponsor a little girl is because girls have a special place in my heart...mostly because I am one. I know somewhat about what they deal with, the pressures, the feelings...everything. I want her to find value in who she is and to never let anyone ever tell her that she is less than precious. I have such a loving earthly father and my mother was so influential in my life--I just want young girls to have that kind of encouragement.

So now my heart belongs to Rwanda. I watched "Hotel Rwanda" and rented a movie called "Ghosts of Rwanda" on the genocide that occurred in 1994. My heart ached for her people--although it was before her time, her neighbors, family friends, perhaps family, all were affected by such tragedy. I am trying to understand how 800,000 people were slaughtered because of their class system. I recently got two books from the library to understand more what happened.

In her letters, my Compassion child has been sweet to pray for my future husband and to encourage me through her simple 10-year-old words. I thought I would be the one to give the encouragement and found I have received it in return.

A huge lesson was learned through her already--don't judge a girl by her hairstyle...and don't judge a person's willingness to give when it appears that they have nothing.

29!!

One more year until the best years of my life!!

The Art of Letter Writing

Whatever happened to old fashioned letter-writing? I believe it is a dying art.

I admit that I do enjoy the speed and convenience of email, but at the same time, I enjoy writing a hand-written letter. My goal is to always write at least one note or letter per week to someone, so that this fine art does not fade away.

I guess it might be because my mom always emphasized a thank you note or letter to me as a child. No matter what someone did for you, even if it was a small, yet kind, gesture, I believe it deserves taking time to write a hand-written note. To me, it shows that person that their gesture meant enough to you that you took the time to write.

So off I go to write a little letter....do you still hand-write letters?

I'm an Artist!

Last week, the New Seed of Hope (www.newseedofhope.com) had an art fundraiser to help raise funds for the organization. The mission is to help the people of Central and Eastern Africa recognize that despite their hardships, God has not abandoned them. One of my friends asked me if I wanted to donate some artwork to the cause--without hesitation, I agreed. I worked for several weeks on the two pieces. One was "J'adore Paris", a mixed media piece with photographs I took while in Paris in 2001. The other was "Between the Lines" an acrylic on canvas painting that was inspired by Leigh Nash's song.

What got me excited was the fact that both pieces auctioned for $40 each. I was really excited! I was just hoping they would actually sell.

But the best part of all of this, it was for a good cause.

The Heart of the Servant

Yesterday I was listening to "The Dave Ramsey Show" (www.daveramsey.com) who is a financial counselor with a talk radio show. His guest was author John Miller, of the book "QBQ." One of the best quotes from him on the show was this:

"Service is doing something for someone that you didn't have to do."

I have to look back at my day and think to myself, "Did I do something for someone today that I didn't have to do?" Well, I had coffee with a friend tonight who needed to get out of the house. I held the door for someone at school, I brought cookies for me and a friend to have during our class break. So I did do something for someone else that I didn't have to do. What a shame it would be to look back upon my day without having done something for someone else--it seems like such a waste. Even that small gesture of holding the door for a stranger can mean so much to them. It may just be the bright spot in their day--that you would go beyond yourself to think of them. I wonder what changes the world would take on if everyone made this the goal of every day...to have that servant's heart.

I believe that we often associate a servant with a slave. But according to Webster a servant is "one who serves another." To serve is "to work for; to minister to; to wait on; to attend; to help; to promote; to advance; to satisfy; to deliver formally."

Have you had the heart of a servant today?

A Child's Eyes

"Only those who look with the eyes of children can lose themselves in the object of their wonder." -Eberhard Arnold

Children look at the world without judgment. They do not bring their preconceived notions and past experience to the things upon which they look. I always find it interesting to really listen to the perspective of my nephews and niece--sometimes looking at what they look at in order to find out what is so intriguing. It is so interesting if you attempt to take away what you know, what you remember, and try to look at something--whether it's a painting, a sunset, or even a person--with fresh eyes. You'll be amazed at what you see.

Look Away

Today as I was driving in downtown Nashville, I saw a man on the side of the road. Dirty and unkempt, he just stood by the side of the interstate exit ramp looking dazed and lost.

As I passed him by, rubber-necking to get a glimpse of whether or not he was holding a sign (I was curious if he was asking for money), I said a short little prayer for him, something along the lines of "Lord help him." I didn't know him, but my heart ached for what appeared to be his lack.

How often is it that we just look away? Sometimes it is difficult to look into the eyes of someone more desperate then ourselves. Could it be that we are ashamed of our blessings? Or do we feel that we cannot (or will not) help someone else in need? Do we not even see a person in need because we are too focused on our own issues and problems? Is what we deal with on a regular basis (traffic, work issues, relationship issues, etc.) more important than someone who is in want of food, shelter, a shower or a clean bed to sleep in at night? Does our own selfishness blind us to the needs of others?

I have always felt that every young person (under the age of 18) should be required as a part of school to get out there and help someone in need. It is so amazing to me when you help someone else and are willing and open to give of yourself, how your problems seem to pale in comparison to theirs. Maybe then it won't be so easy to just look away.