Category: 2012 Photo Challenge

One Little Word 2012 + 365 Photo Challenge Day 5

As I approach the end of the first week of 2012 all I can say is WHEWWW! I hope that translates into a very heavy sigh!
This has been a very busy week on the work end (what pays the bills) and not a bad week on the personal end (means the creative future work that WILL pays the bills). Not to be deterred I have kept up with my 365 Photo Challenge and working on One Little Word 2012.
My word for 2012 is FOCUS. I chose this word to help guide me into the new year and new ventures. For a number of years I have been less than regular with my postings to this site primarily because I haven’t taken the time to focus on what I want to say, and most importantly what I want this site to represent. I can’t say that I have found the answer, but I believe if I take the advice of so many people and begin to plan I will find the answer.
My plan was not to write about the One Little Word project today, but with such a hectic day at work I was struggling to come up with my photo for today when I began concentrating on my word. Before I go much further I should explain OLW for those of you unfamiliar with this annual project. The brainchild of Ali Edwards, a guru in the scrapbook and photography communities, OLW is the practice of choosing one word that will act as your beacon throughout the year. This is my first time using the practice, but based on what I have read on other blogs, it really helps free that inner spirit striving to come to the surface.
Ali leads you through monthly emails, videos and assignments that help you incorporate your word into your daily life. One of the first assignments is to define your word, find synonyms and explain why you chose the word.
This evening while checking the thesaurus I came across CENTER and experienced an `aha’ moment. Focus does draw one into the center, and if you are truly focused you are Centered! Thus, the photo below. Talk about focusing!

One Little Word 2012 – Focus

Enjoy and do stay FOCUSED!

365 Photo Challenge Day 3

An unexpected Christmas gift and the return of an old friend – maybe

Lately I have had a love/hate relationship with A.T. Cross Pens, well more specifically their pencils. I have owned a Black Classic Pencil and Pen for more than a decade, but only in the last several years have I picked them up again to use on a regular basis. Unfortunately, I have had difficulties with the pencil – my favorite mode of everyday writing and had to return it to Cross twice in less than six months.

The last time I sent my pencil back I began surfing the net looking to find a similar pencil to replace it with, yet always in the back of my mind was the feel of the pencil in my hand and the perks of a lifetime guarantee. Needless to say I found a few mechanical pencils that were working in the interim, but it just wasn’t the same.

Today I returned to work after a short holiday break to find a Christmas present waiting in my chair. When I opened the package I found the nice gold Cross pencil pictured in the foreground above! Wow, what a surprise. This was a totally unexpected gift, and one that I am truly grateful to have received.

When I arrived home this evening what do you think was waiting for me – old faithful, or so I thought. Inside the package instead was a replacement called the “Switch-it”. This is a pen and pencil in one according to the directions included in the package. Reading the instructions it seems a little more complicated than I would like, so the gratitude for the new pencil becomes even greater.

I am truly grateful for the many friendships I have and particularly for those that know me well enough to pick out thoughtful and most important useful gifts.

Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your day/evening!

356 Photo Challenge – Day Two

OPD – 2 – JAN 2 2012 – First snow of 2012

Well the post to this site is a day late, but I am proud to say I posted yesterday to the Flickr pool associated with this challenge. Nothing spectacular, just a shot of the first snow fall of 2012. I will continue to work on capturing the flakes – which was my goal, but hey in Cleveland I have at least three months to master that challenge!

Welcoming 2012 with A Photo a Day Challenge

As I embark on 2012 I have a number of challenges I am attempting to fulfill. I’m opposed to resolutions mainly  because it seems that it is trite and something that most people end of failing to complete – myself included. I don’t recall making any resolutions in the last several years. Instead I have attempted to go into each new year with an optimistic view of the days to come and a plan to live a better life.

For the most part I can say that I have partially achieved those goals each year, so this year I decided to take a more concerted approach at self-improvement and making 2012 a fabulous year. The first step was to challenge myself to take A Photo A Day for the next 366 days (remember 2012 is a leap year).

Originally I felt the first day would not be a challenge at all because I would have ample opportunity at our annual New Year’s Day dinner at my cousin’s house; however a nasty virus took over her household earlier this week and dinner was cancelled, so as not to infect everyone else.

So after a very late night/early morning bringing in the New Year I thought it would be a great challenge to find a photo because I had no plans to venture outside today. Rising earlier than anticipated this morning I set out to complete my New Year’s Day dinner and had an aha moment!

Rarely do I prepare New Year’s Day dinners and this year I planned to follow the tradition set by my mother and her mother before her and probably many women before that. In the black community it is tradition to prepare black eyed peas on New Years for good luck in the coming year. Below is a photo of the peas before I prepared them.

New Year’s black eyed peas soaking.

Another tradition is to prepare collard greens for prosperity in the new year, and who wouldn’t hope for a little prosperity in the new year!

Collards cooked with smoked turkey for a prosperous 2012!

Step one in a more productive, creative and prosperous year is complete! Happy New Year! I hope you’ll visit again and follow my progress with the 2012 Photo Challenge, your support, encouragement and comments are welcome!