There’s a lot going on in my life right now, as I’m sure there is in yours. Thus I’m simplifying today’s issue with very few words.

A few years prior to my even starting Picture to Ponder, a mentor who saw my emerging photography said, “Sheila, something is telling me to tell you, ‘Don’t talk.’” I understood at the time and when I started Picture to Ponder there were few words. See “Intentions” in Issue 1 (Dec. 9, 2004).

Now, as I go back over issues from the past year or two, I see more and more words or “talking”. So for today, and most likely beyond, I’m minimizing on words, inviting you to supply them or to simply “be” with the photo(s).

Today’s Featured Photos -

Reflected Sunset underneath the boardwalk at Green Cay Wetlands, Boynton Beach, FL

Without the boardwalk

In the second photo I zoomed in on the reflecting sunset, eliminating the boardwalk. See Self-Reflecting Queries for my observation on this.

Today’s Photo Story -
There’s not a particular “story” around today’s photos and I could create one. I’m wondering do the “stories” I include make a difference for you?

Self-Reflecting Queries -
I posed the question above, specifically, “Do my stories as I include them in Picture to Ponder make a difference for you?”

And, then I went on to observe, for myself, how much of my life I’m engaged in “story-telling” to others and myself? What if I spent more time living my life, being in it, rather than in the stories, how much “richer” might my life be?

I invite you to make the same observations and queries in your life.

Also, in relation to today’s photos. Is there one you prefer over the other? For me, it’s the upper photo. It feels framed and anchored by the dark shapes of the boardwalk and support.

Do you prefer the frames and anchors in your life are are you more comfortable an unconstrained space as seen in the second, albeit it does end at the tops and sides of the picture?

Remember to have fun with the queries. As always your thoughts are appreciated in the COMMENTS section below.
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Usually the photograph dictates the writing in Picture to Ponder. It’s somewhat reversed today as you’ll see below. I invite you to simply experience the photo and then check the “story” of it and how it came to be
Today’s Featured Photo -

“Kaitlyn’s Moons”

Today’s Photo Story -
Today’s picture is symbolic of the nostalgia I’m feeling. Given it’s the start of a new school year, or approaching it, and/or for others nearing the end of Summer vacations (if you are in the United States) I suspect you, too, might be experiencing some emotional ups and downs.

My granddaughter Kaitlyn, a little over two years of age in the above photo, is now 18 and leaving for college this weekend. A very talented and special young woman, I’ve been reflecting and writing on some of her precious attributes to include in a card for her when she departs.

In the process of writing I went back through some old photos to trigger and reinforce memories. The above photo is on the cover of a book she asked me to create for her, when she was 3. I’ve always loved the photo and it seemed to call out to be featured today to represent the walking boldy into the future that so many of us and/or our children or other associates are doing.

The title “Kaitlyn’s Moons” evolved from the fact that Kaitlyn called the leaves “moons.” Those of you into astrology may have fun adding an interpretation to the moon shapes showing in the photo.

Note: If you do, please share this with us in the comments below.

Self-Reflecting Queries -
In addition to Kaitlyn’s starting college, her brother is starting high school next week. My older grandson in Georgia started last week. His younger brother started 5th grade, the end of his elementary school years.

A lot of movement and changes are taking place. I invite you to now reflect on your own life. Where are the changes happening? They may not be major ones and I’m sure you can find some?

What is your response to changes? Are you enlivened? Fearful? Do you go forward confidently or waver and perhaps withdraw? Are there patterns that you can identify?
I am still querying these myself, noticing the spaces where I allow myself to be held back?

Rather than attempt to put forth any answers here today, I’ll leave you with the queries and invite you to post in this issue’s COMMENTS section below.

I must have spent an hour or more searching for Roseate Spoonbill pictures that I thought I wanted to bring you in today’s issue of Picture to Ponder. Then I got a notice of a comment someone made on FlickR on a Whistling Duck photograph I had posted there. I burst into laughter, loved what she had seen that I had not even noticed and “knew” this was my answer for today’s choice.

I also had a conversation this morning with Sus Kongsbak Larsen, a mom who is so excited with the new expanded relationship she now has with her 10-year old son after some coaching with me. Their connection was already great and Sus maintains that she now has a whole new sense of freedom around him and her work.

I am also excited because she’s agreed to be a guest on an upcoming call, in the works. See below. I was especially moved with Sus’ concluding comment in our conversation. “Everybody needs a dose of Sheila,” said she.

Today’s Photos -

The photographs above are of the Black-Bellied Whistling Duck on a boardwalk railing at Wakodahatchee Wetlands taken very late afternoon. The lighting differences between the top and the second photo are a result of the different directions I was facing in relation to the setting sun. In the top photo it was behind me. In the bottom it was to the side and almost behind the bird.

The third photo, if you haven’t guessed, is a close-up of the beautifully silky feathers of the bird in the top photo. The video is a quickie, only 11-seconds. You can briefly hear the Whistling Duck’s voice.

Today’s Photo Story -

I started the “story” of today’s photos in my introduction to this issue. The comment on FlickR that had me laughing was made on the top photo by past course participant, resultant friend and Picture to Ponder subscriber Blaise Allen.

She wrote, “Oh this is just stunning! Its leopard panties are showing!” When I called her to say how “right on” she was and I hadn’t even picked up on it, she commented, “You taught me well.”

Blaise is a writer and wonderful photographer. You can get a taste of her work on her new blog – blaiseallen.com. I just subscribed to it knowing I’ll be in for a treat.

Self-Reflecting Queries -
Once again, I find I’ve covered a wide range of topics: laughter, paying attention to detail, noticing the components and adding humor, and the effects of such discoveries on your relationships with your kids and others.

I invite you to look into your world. Where are you seeing humor? If you don’t have an immediate response, make it up. Look around you. What do you see that you can add a “touch” of humor to?

Now may be the time to point out a blog post I put up a few weeks ago – “Sh*t Happens – Find the Beauty” – photographs and a discussion on branding. I was moved to write the post while reading CRUSH IT, a wonderful book on branding your passion, your work and more. I’ve been reluctant to share the post here because of the title I gave it. I’ve been afraid of possibly “offending” one or more of you, my precious subscribers.

I was also concerned with quoting Blaise with the “panties”, thinking maybe “underwear” would be better. And, I have no idea if anyone here will be offended. It’s one more thing to which I’m giving “meaning.”

So, are there places in your life where you are holding back on your self-expression, concerned that “people” might not like a word or term that you use? Is it stifling you, keeping you from being fully yourself?

As I think about the two words above on which I was holding back, I am reminded that my purpose is to be true to myself and to encourage you to be true to yourself. In actuality by holding back, I could conversely be “ripping off” other people who might find “openings” in what Blaise or I, or another, wrote.
Are there places in your life where you are depriving others of truly getting to see and experience you?

I am in the process of setting up a conference line phone call, which will be recorded, interviewing a couple of parents whose already great relationships with their children have shifted even more dramatically out of conversations we’ve had.

There will an opportunity to see how I’ve been coaching moms, for questions to be asked and, perhaps, some “spot coaching” for a couple of participants. The call will be sometime this month.

For more information, a sense of what’s possible and to be on the notification list, go to CONNECTING.

Thanks to my friend, Lynn Terry, in whose Elite Mastermind Group I participate, I learned about Gary Vaynerchuk’s book CRUSH IT! (Why Now is the time to Crush It and Cash in on your Passion). Based on Lynn’s review on her blog, I purchased the book. It came quickly from Amazon and I’ve been enthralled. It’s been a fast, powerful and empowering read. The thrust of the book is about learning “to navigate the digital waters of social marketing to build a business and promote a personal brand based around what you love most.” (p.14)

As I skim the pages now to look for my highlights I see numerous pink strokes on “personal brand” – “The thing that most people don’t realize is that in today’s world your business and your personal brand need to be one and the same…” (p. 28) So as I’m reading, I’m considering, once again, “What is my passion? Where is it?” I’ve done countless courses and reading on this and…. Then, Clunk!, I remembered the photo I took that I was so excited about the day before -

I sent this out to some friends, with the tag, “Sh*t Happens – Find the Beauty”, and I realized this IS my passion and my brand, “Finding the Beauty in Whatever Shows Up.”  As a young child my favorite books were those in the POLLYANNA series.  In later years, I came to recognize that it was her always finding the positive in any situation was what drew me in and quite possibly was instrumental, in part anyway, in shaping my future.

Thanks to Gary’s CRUSH IT! I feel like I’m standing in a more powerful place as I’m crafting/refining what’s next for me, at least in the speaking of it.  I’m not sure I’m comfortable in standing in “Sh*t Happens – Find the Beauty” as my brand in those words AND it’s something to play with – have fun with.

The book is full of concrete and specific ideas for using Social Media and other strategies to monetize and more.  I was familiar with much of it and there was some great information new to me.  Lastly, just before breaking to write this post, I read Gary’s suggestion to put our brands on t-shirts. “What fun!” I thought. “I wonder if anyone would buy and wear a “Sh*t Happens – Find the Beauty” t-shirt.” “What the heck,” I decided.  And I put the image on some T-Shirts in my Cafe Press Nature Art Gift shop.  While at it, I added another image and message – “Fish or Fowl? Change Perspectives” – Changing perspective is always big part of my message and, you can see, rotating the above photograph, 90 degrees, creates a whole different image and experience.

In the top photo, I saw the “bird” in the upper left, facing to the left. Then someone pointed seeing the same shape as a bird facing to the right going through the top of the head of the “bird” facing us.  I hadn’t even noticed that frontal bird until I downloaded it into my computer.  So, as I write, the top photo has 4 birds.  How many do you see?

Then in the rotation of it, as I prepared the photos for t-shirts, I immediately saw the “fish” (formerly bird) in the lower left.  For now, I’ll say the larger image is a fish also. What are  your interpretations?

Adding to my passion is sharing this with you, reminding you that there are many ways of viewing the same thing in our lives, both our interpretations and then those of others… none of which are “RIGHT”.

Here are the resulting images now on t-shirts.  You can find them at Nature Art Gift Shop

As always, have fun with this and enroll others in having fun with you.  Be sure to share your experiences with us in the comments below.

I’d also very much appreciate your thoughts on “Sh*t Happens – Find the Beauty” as the marketing brand for my work.  Many thanks in advance.

For this issue of Picture to Ponder I am simply combining images reflecting decor and reflections with one photograph of nature.

Today’s Photos -
The top photo is looking inside a lamp in a restaurant in Delray Beach. I love the contrast of the sharp vertical lines of light with the softness of the reflections in the glass.

The middle photo is the pedestal of a glass sink in a small bathroom in the home of one of our subscribers whom I had the pleasure of visiting a few months ago. I was captivated by the reflections in it. Thank you Beth for allowing us in your home. You can see the sink by clicking on the photo or clicking BETH’S SINK.

The bottom photo is, I’m thinking, of leaves from one of the varieties of palm plant.

Today’s Photo Story -
There is no particular “story” around today’s photos. The lower two have been cropping up for a while as ones wanting to be shared and the top one “surfaced” today.

Although quite a contrast between man-made and Nature, they hold together in presentation through similar colors, light and shadows and linear movement.

I will say, as I consider the third photo, I think of Peggy one of our subscribers who has written to me about my featuring “dead” flowers. I now wonder at her response to these leaves. See Last Issue COMMENTS.

For me, generally the first thing that catches my eye is texture, then whatever form of movement there is relative to line and/or repetition of patterns and colors.

I’d love to hear from you in the COMMENTS section at the end of today’s post on the blog, what your responses are when I feature photos of items that are “past their prime.”

Self-Reflecting Queries -
Today, I invite you to look at the contrasts in your life, be they in the physical world, in your activities and/or in your interpersonal relations.

Are there one or more commonalities that hold them together? If you start noticing this for the first time, can you what you find as threads for other situations?

I also invite you to simply be more open than usual this week to seeing things that you do not ordinarily see or pay attention to. What is it that attracts your eye? In noticing, can you relate that to anything else in your life?

With regard to paying attention, I suggest that you remind yourself a couple of times a day to simply open your eyes and look. Sitting in a chair, this morning, I glanced out into my backyard and noticed the brilliance of the lights and shadows on the wall of high plants. There was nothing different than usual AND by my looking only in that direction for a moment or two I experienced an unexpected pleasure.

As always have fun with these queries and looking/seeing. Also, please post your responses in the COMMENTS section below.

]]> http://www.photographyandtransformation.com/reflections-line-and-texture-in-decor-and-nature-picture-to-ponder-v6-issue-22/2010/06/02/feed 5 http://www.photographyandtransformation.com/breaking-through-sadness-and-funkiness-using-photography-and-the-camera/2010/05/24 http://www.photographyandtransformation.com/breaking-through-sadness-and-funkiness-using-photography-and-the-camera/2010/05/24#comments Mon, 24 May 2010 16:39:19 +0000 Sheila Finkelstein http://www.photographyandtransformation.com/?p=545

This weekend, I was feeling sad, a little lonely and slightly depressed. Though I was functioning and had completed an interesting interview, I couldn’t get past a feeling of lethargy.  I finally decided that a walk in nature would “pick me up.”  So I went to Green Cay Wetlands with my camera in its bag on my shoulder and walked for a while.

Nothing was happening. My mood was not shifing, no elevation. (In retrospect I’m noticing how we think “it” will take place outside of ourselves.) Finally, I remembered, once again, “Sheila, it’s not the walk that you tell people to do.  It’s taking the camera out of the bag and starting to photograph WHATEVER catches your eye.  So I “snapped” the first thing in the distance that caught me eye.

I didn’t even realize that it was a palm leaf in the distance. All I saw was some texture in what seemed to be a light-colored “wall” of something.  Didn’t matter.  Focusing on something other than my disparate thoughts was starting to work.

Next came a couple of shots of this Roseate Spoonbill in the distance. Already, I was feeling better. The purple gallinule and black-necked stilts were simply a bonus.

The final image that grabbed my attention and really pulled me in was the warmth and light, the brilliance, of the afternoon sunlight reflected off the boards on the side of the boardwalk path at Green Cay.  In the distance, I was able to pull it close with my telephoto lens and capture the image in the top photo shown above.

And, to give the full picture I also photographed the railing shadows cast by the sun.

I could continue to spell out analogies and metaphors for life, for representations of mood shifting, AND I’ll leave all that to you, letting the photos speak for themselves.

Bottom line for me, I experienced once again, the power of the camera as my best friend, my energizer, my re-focuser, the transformer in my life.

I invite you to partner with your camera as a friend and mood stabilizer and expander in your life. To read more on how to do this for yourself, as well as seeing how others have experienced photography as transformation, simply fill in your name and email address under the Little Blue Heron photo and SUBSCRIBE at the top of the column on the right. Once you confirm your interest, you will get, by return email, EXPAND YOUR VISION, the 15 page report that includes 7 Tips for getting unstuck.

Happy shifting.

]]> http://www.photographyandtransformation.com/breaking-through-sadness-and-funkiness-using-photography-and-the-camera/2010/05/24/feed 3 http://www.photographyandtransformation.com/beauty-and-transformation-monarch-butterfly-and-beyond-picture-to-ponder-v6-issue-16/2010/04/21 http://www.photographyandtransformation.com/beauty-and-transformation-monarch-butterfly-and-beyond-picture-to-ponder-v6-issue-16/2010/04/21#comments Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:51:05 +0000 Sheila Finkelstein http://www.photographyandtransformation.com/?p=520

Today’s Photos -

Monarch Butterfly in Chrysalis
(on right side occupying 3/4 of the vertical space)

Plant on which caterpillar had attached itself
(Look closely at upper left side of plant.)

Monarch Butterfly Emerged from Chrysalis – next day
Photo Courtesy of Sheldon Rosin

Today’s Photos’ Story -
This Saturday I am leading a Photography Walk and Workshop for a small group of members of the South Florida chapter of Events and Adventures. Last week I visited Tropic Plants of Tamarac, FL, the location where we will be photographing prior to going to another spot for the sharing-plus workshop.

Sheldon Rosin, the artist/owner, was a delight to experience. He shared a wealth of information and creativity. One of the absolute highlights, for me, of last week’s adventure was Sheldon’s pointing out the chrysalis that a Monarch caterpillar had created, attaching itself to one of the plants up in front of the nursery. My excitement with this experience had resulting photographs become today’s feature in Picture to Ponder.

The descriptions under each photo are self-explanatory. I included the middle one for “informational” purposes, rather than aesthetic. Then, since I wanted to see the resulting butterfly, I’m assuming you might have the same curiosity.

Thus, for the second time in Picture to Ponder, I am breaking tradition* and including a photograph other than mine or Sam’s**. Sheldon very graciously forwarded me photos he took after the butterfly emerged the next day and was drying its wings.

Also, in going to Google for more information on the whole process, I discovered a number of fascinating YouTube videos. To see a speeded up version of caterpillar to chrysalis, check Monarch Chrysalis. I also found a wonderful site, full of easy-to-read information. See The Monarch Butterfly.

*The first break in my “exclusivity” policy can be found on the Blog, where I’ve included 8-year old Toby Garver’s beautiful tulip photos. See Toby’s Tulips. You’re in for a treat and several queries. I will most likely revisit it in a future issue of Picture to Ponder.

**(For those new to Picture to Ponder, Sam was my beloved husband who passed away in November 2007. You can see wonderful Black & White Photography on B&W PHOTOS.)

Self-Reflecting Queries -
As I researched on Google and saw photos of other pupa/chrysalis in a group, I recalled that I had seen them before in Butterfly World, Pompano Beach, FL. Being part of a crowd, the full beauty of the individual pupa had not had the same impact on me and I don’t recall having seen the butterfly within the chrysalis itself.

Now to you – Once again, I invite you to look in your life.

Are there places where you are allowing yourself to simply blend in, where you’re not letting your beauty shine through? Are there others in your life who could be, or are, important to you, whom you’re simply seeing as a merged part of a whole?

If “yes”, to either of these questions, I invite you to pause and look for the uniqueness, the “shine”, what excites you in yourself/them,

the beauty. Then I invite you to look and see where you can step out, if you made a discovery about yourself. Then take an action.

If someone in a group now stands out, I invite you to ackowledge that person, letting him or her know the contribution of and the beauty you’ve seen in him/her.

The butterfly life span, I learned from the Monarch Butterfly site is two to six weeks in the first three generations, up to eight months in the fourth generation because there is a lot of migration to do.

What generation are you in? What is your beauty that you can be sharing with world?

Lastly,

As always, have fun with this and please post your comments below.

For today’s post I am delighted to present the photography of 8-year old Toby Garver, breaking from my tradition of featuring solely my photography, or my deceased husband Sam Finkelstein’s wonderful black and white photography,  in Picture to Ponder and on my blogs.

Close to two years ago Julie Gabrielli, Toby’s mother, and I met in a teleclass. A friendship developed and at one point about a year and a half ago she mentioned her son sitting in her lap discussing his interpretation of one of my Picture to Ponder photos. I had an immediate visualization of the scene and found that picturing the love between mother and child, and the freedom of communication between them, instantly warmed my heart.  I’ve had a “soft spot” for Toby (and Julie) ever since.

Then a year ago, when Julie was a participant in one of my Through and From the Lens Point and Shoot Photo courses, I started hearing more about Toby. In the course, Julie quickly took on one of my main recommendations, “Have your camera with you at all times.”  As we discussed her experiences during the four weeks of the class, she very often mentioned Toby’s going with her and wanting to use the camera. She usually did hand it over and allow to him to use it.  Again, the hand on my appreciation meter went way up and added warmth filled my being.

Responding to a recent one-question survey of Picture to Ponder subscribers, Julie wrote, “I love the practice of taking my camera out for a walk. I’m always delighted and surprised by the inspirations, ideas, and answers that come .”  Then, yesterday she sent me a “Spring” note with the top tulips photo attached.

She wrote, “Went on a walk w/ Toby, our dog, and the camera the other day. I just kept thinking of you, b/c he took the camera from me most of the time and took some great photos!” This gave me a clue that the photo attached was one of Toby’s. I thought the photo so striking and well-composed, especially for an eight-year old,  that I wrote to make sure it was.  “If so,” I asked for permission to publish it.

This morning I was delighted to receive another email from Julie stating:
“Toby is looking at his pictures w/ me and wanted to send a few more to you! I forgot to mention before. . . .As he was taking the pictures, he kept saying, ‘This is just like a painting!’

It’s really cool that we both like the same ones — and often had immediate reactions to the ones we liked the best. Somehow we just ‘knew.’”

It is my privilege to be allowed to share with you here my selection from the nine new ones sent in that email.

Titled “Funky Tulip” by Julie and Toby, the above certainly looks like a painting. I’m wondering if some of the painter-like quality in the photo resulted from Toby’s thoughts being projected onto them.

This next photo gives us the overall feel of a piece of the “landscape” that Toby saw.

I love the way Toby went right into the flower above and how he used the space. It has me wondering if he knows about, and used, the Macro setting on the camera.

Although compositionally, we might look right past the last photo, I’ve included it here because, for me, it exudes drama and mystery and a perfect photo/scene to open up creative dialogue. There appear to be so many stories that could be created from this one.

“Is the yellow tulip calling out to the red?  What might it be saying?  Has the red tulip purposefully turned its ‘back’ on the yellow, or is it simply in a different world?”

Parent and child could make up a combined story, or the parent, or teacher, might simply encourage the child to “spin” a story.

And, if you are an adult, with no child available, you could play with your own inner child, or look at the imaginary questions that come up for you, as mine did for me above. Then explore where in your life you might be experiencing analogous situations.

As I finish here with my initial intent to encourage using photography for opening up and expanding parent/child or general communication, I see I’ve come full circle.  Once again queries surfaced as access to a greater understanding of ourselves.

I invite you to share your experience of this post in the comment section below.  You can also check out Julie’s professional work on her Go for Change blog.  A professional architect, she is passionately committed to Greening our Environment and using many of these principles in effectively forwarding business growth and transformation.

Should you be intrigued and wish to experience expanding your own “seeing” and communication through the use of your camera, I will be opening another Through and From the Lens Course next month.  See COURSE for more information and to add yourself to the keep-me-informed list.

Lastly, you can see the black and white photography of Sam Finkelstein on b&w photography and you can weekly experience Photography and Self-Reflecting Queries in your inbox by subscribing to Picture to Ponder through the link on the right or the RSS feed.

This past weekend I stepped out on my screened in patio and walked pass a table where two orchid plants had been resting for almost a year and a half, since the time the flowers and many of the leaves had died off.

They’ve been more or less ignored, occasionally receiving water from me, so imagine my surprise when glancing over I saw the back of what seemed to be an open flower. Sure enough it was – flower and two buds!

Feeling excited, special and important, now, with orchids of my own, I, of course, brought out the camera and have photographed them each day since. Unfortunately bud number three dropped off before opening.

Today’s Photos -

Phalaenopsis orchid and two buds the morning I first noticed the open flower.

The second Phalaenopsis opened – The setting here and in the top photo is in front of the screen looking out into the backyard.

Same flowers, as above, in front of a black background so that the focus is on the flowers only.

Self-Reflecting Queries -
I am in awe and in deep gratitude for what this orchid and a Maranta (prayer plant – written about in several issues of Picture to Ponder) have given me…. Once again I recognize it as “unconditional love.” They have bloomed and given me pleasure even though I have more or less neglected them over time. See Unconditional Love which has added Maranta links.

Now to you -

Are there people or things in your life whom/or that you have been neglecting and are still always there for you? If so, I invite you to pause and in some way express your gratitude and appreciation.

What are you celebrating/can you celebrate?

One of the prompts this week for a four-minute free flow writing exercise in the writing group in which I participate, was:

“Celebrate what you want to see more of.” – Tom Peters

My friend Marifran Korb, having heard about and not yet seen the orchid, spontaneously responded with the following:

“To celebrate is to give focus and attention to something, even if only a minute. It doesn’t have to be a long time. What I focus upon responds in some way, even when it is only in me.

Still, we live in an interactive world. That orchid that Sheila captured on camera responded to Sheila’s love and moved the world around it in a gentler way.

Something shifts and opens up when we pay attention. We’re happier if only for that moment. It makes a difference and increases the circle of joy.” Marifran Korb – www.marifrankorb.com

What might you have been ignoring which might result in a shift should you pay attention to it?

I invite you to celebrate, play, have fun with whatever you notice.

One of the things I’ve most enjoyed over these past five plus years of publishing Picture to Ponder are the connections I’ve made with individual subscribers and resulting experiences.

A few months ago one subscriber wrote to say my photography reminded her of Miksang. Not being familiar with it, I, of course, Googled and found the Miksang Institute of Contemplative Photography. The latter phrase made my heart sing.

Then another long-time subscriber, from Connecticut, wrote that she would be coming to West Palm Beach for a Miksang Workshop the end of April. Delightedly I signed up for the course too. It then occurred to me that perhaps there might be one of more of you who could also be interested. If so, see Photography Workshop.

Today’s Photos -

The top photo is of buildings and a lamp in reflected in the large glass windows of another building. The middle one is a reflected courtyard fountain.

The bottom photo is of a weathered wall, I think. The tones and textures drew me in. Upon viewing the photo later, I’m also intrigued with the mystique of the grass seen through the opening.

The Story – I was driving in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday and the browns in the reflections of some buildings grabbed my attention. I drove around looking for parking and became intrigued with the above. Though I walked around the corner I could not get a good perspective of the scene that originally caught my eye.

I would have loved to share the video I took of the reflected fountain in the middle photo but a guard came by at the end of my Sunday picture-taking to tell me photographing the buildings was not allowed. Since the video might reveal the location, more so than these abstractions, I’ll pass on posting that and be thankful that he did not insist I delete the photographs from my camera.

Self-Reflecting Queries -
When something catches your eye and/OR your ears, what is your usual response? Will you stop and spend some time with the experience? go back? or, simply ignore it?

If “ignoring” is your usual mode, I invite you to take a few moments next time something does “call to you” to photograph, write or simply be with it.

If you have specific reactions to any of today’s photos, I also invite you to take a time to explore your response. The top two photographs might seem very busy to you, possibly even chaotic. If so, are they reflecting anything in your life?

For me, the bottom photo feels somewhat restful. A few years ago I did a few photo/writing pieces, Under Water, being one of them. Now this wall feels like it, too, wants to be written on.

Photo for your own Photo/Writing -
If you would like to explore the process for yourself and wish a larger, 7.5 by 11 inch, image of the above wall, I’ve set up a special page where you can sign up to receive a download of the photo. Print it out and write away. See WALL PHOTO.

As always, have fun with this, and please share your experiences in the COMMENTS session below.

Programs I recommend:
For Online Business Owners -

Internet Marketing Mastermind Forum – Lynn Terry is one of the most knowledgeable, generous and sharing Internet Marketers that I know. For four of her seven years in Internet Marketing, she has had an Elite Members Forum, where members ask questions and help one another, with Lynn’s ongoing support and responses. In addition there is a weekly webinar for members only where members get help with their specific business issues. I have been a member for a year and a half and appreciate all I have learned.

Lynn announced today that access to the Public Forum will be closing down to all but Elite members and that the opportunity to become an Elite member is shutting down for a limited time as she revises and upgrades the direction in which the forum goes. If you are in an Internet Marketing business, I strongly recommend you check out membership in the SSWT Elite Brainstorming Mastermind Group.

This week my friend Adela Rubio has been facilitating a highly informative Conscious Business Telesummit: The Nuts and Bolts of Running an Online Business. I have listened to all of the calls and am still learning new things, even from those speakers with whom I’ve done work in the past. They have been great.

There is still time to be on and/or listen to replays of some of the calls at no charge. For a nominal investment, you can have the MP3s of them all to listen to at any time now or in the future. See TELESUMMIT.
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For Anyone interested in self-growth -
Last week I wrote about the April 20th launch of a new book, “Awakened Wisdom – A Guide to Reclaiming Your Brilliance”, by Patrick Ryan in which I’ve been invited to participate with a bonus. See last week’s ISSUE for more info on Patrick and the book

By simply purchasing a copy of Patrick’s book on Tuesday April 20, 2010, you will receive 40 very special gifts to guide you along your awakened adventure INCLUDING:

A never before offered “Awakened Wisdom Virtual Experience”
A special, invitation-only double webcast event led by Patrick Ryan himself
- AND -
A chance to WIN a COMPLETE “Awakened Wisdom Experience” One person will win a Grand Prize which includes:

4 personal coaching sessions with Patrick
A signed copy of the book

2 Free VIP passes to attend the 3-day AWE workshop anywhere in the world
(This Grand Prize is valued at over $3000)

In addition to bonuses from 40 other people, Patrick is giving away an EXTRA special gift of his own: An Awakened Wisdom VIRTUAL Experience!

When you buy the book, you will be given free admission to this special 2-day live “virtual” event, taking place on May 5th and 6th, 2010. On that event, Patrick will personally guide you through the Eight States of an Awakened Life. If you cannot make the live event, it will be recorded, but it will be available only to those who buy the book on April 20th.

To find out how you can buy this book on April 20th and claim Patrick’s gift, and the others, just go to Awakened Wisdom Launch When you go to that page, be sure you enter your email address in the form, and Patrick will send you a “launch reminder” to make sure you don’t miss the April 20th date.