In a world of so many great photographers and writers, I am venturing into some unknown territories, leaving comfort zones, finally very willing to practice the art of seeing. By maintaining the practice of posting daily photos, I hope to continue learning about the possibilities that I trust are out there for the taking.
Lane called tonight. What a great talk we had. He called because he knew something was up with me. I hadn’t blogged for the last 5 days. He figured it was computer related problems. He was correct.
So, to please my son, and you readers, I am posting some daily shots I had taken and intended to post as blog photos. They’re not master pieces, just my life.
I’ll start with a zoo photo I took:
The afternoon of the Academy Awards, not having seen one of the nominated films, Ray and I went to the movies and saw Slum Dog Millionaire. The movie was great. But what was really great was this was the first time Ray and I went to the movies and did NOT eat popcorn. We actually ate lunch and then went to the movies (on a full stomach). I never understood why people went to movies after eating a meal. I always thought the point of going to the movies was to eat popcorn. You don’t eat the meal, saving the calories, and load up on the refillable popcorn. I couldn’t imagine going to see a movie and just sit there with my hands in my lap.
Sitting there with my hands in my lap before the movie actually started was difficult, so difficult I took out my pocket camera and started taking shots of the theater to record our first ever movie without popcorn. Mind you, this was a big deal. I’m not sure I can do it again. But we DID do it once. 
This shot was taken last night as I was driving over to Sandi’s to pick her up before our 6:30pm meeting. I was a few minutes late to pick up Sandi. I stopped and clicked off two photos. This red sky was not going to go unphotographed by me. 
Last Tuesday we planned an excursion on our Baby Meeting Day. You can’t believe, or maybe you can, how much fun we had shopping for our new 2009 Franklin Covey organizers. The adrenalin rush was amazing. Not that I ever did the work in school, but I remember the rush when I’d buy a new school 3 ring notebook each semester. Our shopping slip in the Franklin Covey store produced lots of satisfaction and joy. Now I have the prettiest and most perfect 2009 Organizer. It doesn’t take much to make me happy.
L – R Stacy, Linda, Margaret, and Sandi.
I took myself out on a date today. I packed up all my camera equipment, tripod and camera. I used a 70 -300 mm lens and shot photos of the migratory birds at the Salton Sea. I’m doing the Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron and in Week 5 of the 12 week book I’m finally taking the time to go on the required weekly Artist date. I had a ball all by myself. It’s funny how I had to talk myself into doing this too. I wasn’t in the mood.
I’ve posted a couple photos (I took over 300).
I’ve also uploaded two videos from today.
I filmed a video when I first arrived at the Salton Sea and then a second video during the wonderful sunset about an hour and a half later. I know Lane, you don’t like sunsets, but this one was really something. All alone, I found myself saying outloud, “Oh my god. The sky can’t get any redder.”
I hope I remember this the next time I feel too lazy to take myself out on an Artist’s Date. I really never want to do anything, especially in the afternoon or night. But, invariably, when I do what I don’t think I want to do, I have a great time. So….I don’t need to be listening to my head anymore.
Check out the Salton Sea in the videos below.
I know this is gross but I felt it was only fair I post Stacy’s photos of me in the bathroom at the Getty. I was sitting there totally relaxed, blowing my nose, when Stacy’s camera and flash appeared under the stall partition and took me by surprise.
Stacy got this shot of me during our camera war. We hurt from how hard and long we laughed during this child play.
Just before leaving the Getty Museum I took this video with my blog in mind. Enjoy.
We didn’t make it very far after leaving Palm Springs before we had to stop for lunch. Much laughter was had while Sandi and Stacy were obssessively trying to search cell phones for the closest In and Out.
Stacy, Sandi and Linda
This my was retaliation shot, after Stacy surprised me when her camera flash went off under the divider to my bathroom stall while I was sitting on the toilet, pants down, blowing my nose.
Sandi, Stacy and I are headed in to the 1st Tuesday Baby Meeting tomorrow morning, earlier than usual, so we can visit the Getty Museum for about 3 hours.
I’m excited about seeing this exhibition in particular:
Dialogue among Giants: Carleton Watkins and the Rise of Photography in California
October 14, 2008–March 1, 2009
Hopefully I’ll get to take some photos of the landscape and architecture too.