How it All Began

 This started as a job hunting type of container, and became a catch-all place for thoughts and ideas, but I'm thinking I can do whatever I want with it, so why constrain myself to a topic? Who cares? Nobody. I don't have a brand, I'm not being paid, so I can do what I want, and that's the beauty of it. Too much freedom can be as bad as not enough, but it's totally okay to switch things up. Sometimes I might write and sometimes I will just share photos, whatever, I just want to do something so I don't become static and stagnate.

The online Wordpress and UI/UX classes were really inspiring, though tedious at times, as learning can often be, but it's good to stretch your brain through the tough parts, or you aren't really learning anything.

I'm just going to experiment here, I know it's not my Wordpress site, but it's still good to try and see what I can do, even if I don't have a particular goal in mind. I can get easily overwhelmed with too many things and ideas, and end up not doing any of them, so I don't think I should say I'm going to do this or that. I had general ideas to have a photo blog that was separate from my "art blog," art meaning drawing, painting, and collage, etc., and a writing blog to try and write a book (because at this point, why not?).  And I have thousands of photos, some of which I think are fantastic and would like to have a place dedicated to their presentation.

Then I start with the overwhelm because I think well, you have to edit them first, and possibly watermark them, and do you plan on trying to sell them at all? And I don't post any, because it's too many things to think about and make decisions on, and try to do all at once. So actually, the lesson in my class about Agile development was really meaningful, because it emphasizes using planning boards (like Scrum and Kanban), and working in a circular flow, so you don't need to have one part completely finished before you work on other parts. That's a great way to help get through the "Stop! You cannot do (this or that) because you have not yet perfected (the other)!"

So cheers to Agile and may it help to overcome both procrastination syndrome and perfectionist-ism. ;-)

T.A.R.D.I.S. ice is cooooool!

The Donut Endcap

 This was just a couple of days ago, and now it is thunder and lightning and rain here. But it was over 80 today, and the mosquitoes are still out. I wish they were afraid of thunder! 

I was in the store the other day and I thought that a man wanted to go down the aisle I was blocking, so I moved, and indicated he could go ahead. He said it was okay, he was just stopped so he could look at the donut display on the endcap, because he couldn't eat them anymore. I have been tempted and succumbed to that exact same donut endcap in the past. While he is not supposed to have all that sugar, (he said he is diabetic), I'm not supposed to have all those carbs or sugar since I am trying to lose weight lately. 

I asked him what his favorite was, and he said the lemon, or the berry. I reassessed the options in front of us. I agreed that I loved the lemon, but shared that my top favorite was the bear claw , and I pointed to the Svenhard's danishes that were displayed below the Franz donut varieties). He stayed silent, seemingly lost in thought, like in a memory of the time when he was allowed such delicacies, which he could now only look at and not touch.

Then I drifted away because I was blocking the checkout lane line that was forming with my cart, and I left him gazing longingly at the sweet pastries.

 As Per Usual

I have pages and pages of notes of ideas, topics, and thoughts that I plan to write when it's "blogging time," but they always seem to be misplaced or out of sight, out of mind when I tell myself it's time to sit down and write. I don't know what to say, I am very distracted by personal things lately, so I think I will share a few photos I shot the other day that I like a lot. Peace.

That Feeling When ...

 That feeling when you could accomplish almost anything that you want to do, but you aren't sure what that is? That's when you need to do something, anything, to make sure the energy is not wasted. I spend too much time in my head, and not enough "doing." But sometimes just "being" is enough too, especially if it is consciously done with self-awareness and (dare I say?) intention. 

Anyway, I have been extremely introspective lately, thinking about choices and consequences, karma and repeating patterns, the past and the future more than the present. But the present is the only thing I have any control to change. I've taken a long break from trying to learn Tarot cards, and have been looking at Oracle card decks lately.

I have one digital set on my phone, and two beautiful decks that I got (very synchronicitously ... I know that's not a word, but I don't want to say "coincidentally!") from a free little library up the street one day. They have gorgeous artwork, and meaningful, inspirational, thoughtful messages to consider and use for meditation and reflection. I've never used Oracle decks before, but I love them. They are extremely cool.

Here is Dr. Pepper aka Pepperjack the cat, in the sunshine on "Cat Rock," which is where Dr. Crush, the ginger one, often sits for relaxation.

 

A Few B&W Photos (No Text Today!)

 

I Have too many Ideas, Ever have too many Ideas?

 I have scores of notes of things I am interested in writing about, but none of them feels right, right now. So instead, here is a Happy Friday Cat Photo! AND a picture from Artemis II, one of the most awesome and exciting events to ever be able to witness in my lifetime, I am sure! "Ämaze, Amaze, Amaze!" 

Happy Birthday Dad!

 It's day twenty of my no TV fast, and I was going to write about that some more, because I have a lot I could say about it, but it's my dad's 118th birthday, if he were alive, and I just want to celebrate that fact, and say how much I loved him and miss him. 

I have better photos of him but this is one of my favorites. He didn't like to show his teeth when he smiled, but the fact that he would smile this big and strong for a transit ID senior discount card says a lot about his positive attitude and friendly personality.