At camp we, the staff, take time every day to write in a journal. We write (or in my case - I wrote) 5 Things That We Are Thankful For, 3 Things I Am Proud of For Today and 2 Goals For the Next 24 Hours. Usually, we call these our Gratitude Journal - <thanks Oprah>.
My 31/12/07 Gratitude Journal:
Thankful For:
- Fae and all of her support of my crazy dreams
- such great step-sons that are so fun to be around
- my clients who have made this transition from part-time to full-time photography such an easy choice
- our family and friends who have made it so comfortable to fit in to our new hometown
- my sources of strength: who have enabled me to accomplish all of this despite living with chronic pain
- hanging out my shingle and committing to doing this thing that I love
- everything that I accomplished in my 14 years as a camp director.
- our great new place in Woodstock
- get back in better shape - pain or no
- shoot some amazing people
- make this "living my dream" thing continue to work and get better
- redo my website to help me "let my awesome out" - (Thanks Ze)
- write a regular Gratitude Journal. Will likely be on Twitter and signified with a precursor - "GT:"
Other new things for 2008:
- following the philosophy of Tim Ferriss' AWESOME book Four Hour Work Week: I'm going to try to let my work do it's earning on it own. I'm going to put my pictures out there and let them make make money. I am committing to post pictures to Stock Photography sites and be diligent about it.
- I'm working with 3 other Canadian photographers (it helps that the other two are also designers and web-ninjas) on creating a website for picture hounds - amateur, pro-am & pro. It's going to have great how-to's, product reviews, interviews with Canadian Photogs and links to cool photo stuff around the web. Don't worry _You_Will_Be_Notified_by_RSS.
CALL TO ACTION:
C'mon All You Campy Bloggers (and other bloggers) Out There: Write your 2007 Gratitude Journal and Post it on your blog. If you'd put a link to it in the Comments here I'd be terribly grateful!
Song of the Day: Venite Adoremus (Oh, Come Let Us Adore Him)
Venite adoremus,
Venite adoremus,
Venite adoremus Dominum!
It's not that weird that I would have Oh, Come Let Us Adore Him as my SOD today, but the Latin version?!?
Merry Christmas Everybody!
Travis, Beth, Andrew & Spencer
"I think we'll find that the mind lies outside the body, in the networks of social and cultural life."
-Dr. Denis Noble: author of The Music of Life: Biology Beyond the Genome
I know that he is talking to everyone but it somehow feels like he's talking directly to the staff at Cairn - the ones who helped look after kids like Walker.
I missed the family outting to see The Kingdom but BoingBoing posted a link to the opening credits. They have a brilliant 4 minute history of Saudi Arabia:
I had about 1/2 hour yesterday to try out some "strobist" techniques when were at Dooley's with the staff. Here are my favourites:
My wife the pool shark:
My first experiment with wireless flash triggers.
Strobist Info: 430EX, snooted at 1/64 power, camera right, 420 with a 4" deep grid just off camera to the right of 8 ball
I have just posted some pictures I shot last weekend with Chad, Mary Rea and Isaac.
Isaac is such a funny kid!
You can find more pictures on my Flickr account [click here].
If you are interested in having some family pictures taken either before Christmas or some other time this winter please email me (travis@subtlevox.com) for a consultation.
If you let this video load in the background and then skip to 3:40 you will see a beautiful bluegrass song called Pearls on a String (Ra is going to say in the comments that it's not really bluegrass because they felt badly for the drummer and let him play on his leg - true bluegrass doesn't have electrical instruments or drums)
Song of the Day: All The Young Dudes - Mott The Hoople
Man... this one drove me crazy this morning. I kept thinking "this a great SOD... I've got to remember this when I wake up!"All the young dudes (hey dudes)
Carry the news (where are ya)
Boogaloo dudes (stand up come on)
Carry the news
All the young dudes (I want to hear you)
I think I picked up this song from listening to the Lyrics Undercover podcast by Brian Ibbott - the same guy that does one of my favourites - Coverville.
Song of the Day: Deep and Wide
I am constantly amazed how often Sunday School songs from 30 years ago make it into the Song of the Day. This song has a simple verse that you take away one word every time you sing through - you hum instead of saying the word. Looks like this:
Thank you to majamom on flickr for the use of her Creative Commons licensed photo!.
Deep and wide
There's a fountain flowing deep and wide
Deep and wide
Deep and wide
There's a fountain flowing deep and wide
Hmmm and wide
Hmmm and wide
There's a fountain flowing hmmm and wide
Hmmm and wide
Hmmm and wide
There's a fountain flowing hmmm and wide
We got a funny call last night from my sister, Sarah Jane. "Would you like to come with Mom and me to see the Holiday Train. You'll have to hurry and get dressed" **Note to non-Canadian readers: Getting dressed at this time of the year means long-johns, ski-pants, layers of fleece, 2 kinds of gloves and a double layer of hats - a toque and a fleece hood - getting "dressed" for winter.
We went to the bridge on Hwy 59 and saw the train come in, then drove down to the old CPR station down by the Tube to join in with the crowd. One of the box cars opened up and there was a full stage with lights inside. I didn't catch the name of the group of women singing (they said they were from Newfoundland, a little research tells me it was probably Ennis) but Colin Linden was one of the guitar players.
The Holiday Train has been going across Canada and the northern United States, stopping in communities to help bring in food and money for local foodbanks since 1999.
I think that's a brilliant idea.
