Happy :):) (in camera)

Good Evening, my Darling,

I am home, just putting away a few groceries and checking email. Vickie came over for the first time in several weeks and we went shopping. Weird weather here : overcast and humid, like thunderstorm weather though nothing like that happened. It feels more like a late Fall day. But, they say the sunshine will be back full force in a day or two, so that's good.

Did you have a nice day? I saw your Taya Iv post while I was at Pearl's, and again Elizabeth, that is a beautiful thing to post, and if her words represent your feelings, whether in part or as a whole, then all I can say is I am glad! But the thing to keep in mind, if you like who you are becoming, is that you were a wonderful person to begin with. I know you've maybe had some difficulty with self-criticism and things like that in the past, but those days are over. Now, I don't mean you will never critique yourself or your work - of course you will, any creative person wants to do their best - but self-critiquing is a much more positive endeavor than being self-critical, a mindset which tends to emphasize the negative.

I like who you are becoming, too, and I also like who you are and have been! I give myself a High Five because I saw it all along (way to go, Ad!). My first thought was "Artist", and the bottom line with being an Artist, is that once you are one, you are one for life.

Remember that it's a mindset and inner feeling more than anything. Even more than the work you produce, though that is of course the desired end result. But first and foremost,  you are an Artist because of the way you think and feel.

Now I'll get off my soapbox, because I love the Taya Iv quote and those words should suffice to describe your feelings at the moment. I always say, "when you are happy, I am happy", and so that extends in every way. You are awesome, my Angel. Always know it, but hold it inside in a quiet way as I always like to say. Confidence is never an outward thing, I don't think, and for me it is always tempered by gratitude for blessings.

For me, power comes from a kind of ritual (though it isn't one). It's a ritual only in the fact that the sun goes up and down, and I go to sleep and wake up in cycles, and so I do a lot of things according to a schedule. We all do, and so we can call something like coffee and the newspaper a "morning ritual", even if it's not technically a ritual. But power, for me, comes from waking up every morning, drinking my water to get me started (coffee comes a little later, lol), and just immediately connecting with God.

As always, you know the way in which I mean God, as your  Higher Power. And I just begin by feeling that connection, and being thankful for the individual day, and for every blessing. Then I go out and get the day started, and I immediately feel empowered.

And for you, whatever works for you to feel that way is equally important. Never doubt that you are on an important mission in life. You don't even have to know what it is, but know for sure that it is important.

And so, quiet confidence, connection to your God, gratitude, and knowing your mission (i.e.your life) is important. Not just in a "feel-good" way, but as an unfolding mystery. The importance of your life is being revealed to you, step by step and day by day.

God works in mysterious ways - truer words were never spoken - and you will come to love the mysteries that are presented to you, and the answers that are revealed as you explore them. By finding joy in each day, and in the mysteries, you will always remain curious about life, and that factor is so important for an intelligent and creative person like yourself. Neverending curiosity means you will always have something to look forward to, and that is the lifeblood of the thinker and the Artist.

Well, I'm back on my soapbox again, but I better get off so I can go do part of my walk. I will do half now and half later. Usual schedule, donchaknow........  ;)

I Love You, Elizabeth! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

(and I'll be back later, naturally)

11:35pm : I like the photo you chose earlier, and I checked out the photographer's link to his book, and I like the concept as well: travelling around and recording what you see as you go. In his case it was unfortunately a creation of the circumstance of having to live in his car, but he still created something out of it. I also (and you will know this about me, lol) like when he says of his photo, that it was created "in camera".

Photos should be created in the camera. Not with touch-ups, unless one is doing technical photography for advertisements, or fashion photography, etc. But for art photography, no computer enhancement is best.

Let the light do the work, either natural light or whatever you have set up. For me, because I am not a professional photographer, I am only seeking the Revelation Magic of art photography. I just wanna find interesting confluences of light and shape, and capture them, and hope that something underlying will present itself.

But yeah, I still say that the Mojave Desert and the Pearblossom Highway would be a great shoot for us, and extending from that, all the back roads of America. The backroadsier the better!

The only thing you don't wanna do is get so far off the beaten track that you find yourself in a Texas Chainsaw Massacre type situation! Way out in the middle of nowhere, so to speak......

Still, just start driving and go.........and see what you come up with.

Well, my Darling, we will do these things. For now, I sure am enjoying the local environs. I know you are working (I mean I think you are) but I hope you are having a chance to shoot, also. Meanwhile, just keep the mindset; what we talked about earlier. Keep your power, hold it close.

Sweet Dreams.

I Love You and will see you in the morning.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)