Years ago...and not so far away....

I was a lifeguard....

for several summers, in high school and college...

it was great...

lots of time in the sun...

the sounds of water play...

time to myself..

time to write...

time to see the world in a different light....

I was so spoiled...

Now, I struggle to get in my artist's date....

I even stubbornly ignore morning pages...

I am the Artist's Way dropout.

I know you are out there thinking...

"Me too"!

I'll not let her know that though...

I'll let her think that I use my tools regularly...

You don't fool me...

I can't possibly be the only one who has let her

most trusted tools fall by the wayside...

Please...

let me know if you are with me...

They used to call me.....

The Project Queen....

Yes,

it's been a few years since...

but the ol' girl still has it in her.

I've started a new adventure.

A bit of a risk.

Putting myself out there..

open to criticism...

I am confident of my motives...

but a tad bit afraid that I am

still so ego-driven as to

crumble with a

bad review.

Do we ever outgrow this need to

gain approval?

I thought that I had.

Apparently not...

Shoot!

Believe....

Leo
Your belief in yourself

and your abilities is at its peak right now,

and that means you can get almost anything done!

Have fun and encourage others

to explore their own secret passions.

Don't you just love it when your horoscope

matches what you are going through?

Do you believe in horoscopes?

Or...

maybe it's simply the "tool" that the

Universe uses to communicate with us

"mere mortals".

Whatever....

I believe that I will grasp ahold of

whatever seems to speak to me today....

This spoke to me.

Success....

Remind yourself regularly

that you are better than you think you are.

Successful people are not superhuman.

Success does not require a super-intellect.

Nor is there anything mystical about success.

And success isn't based on luck.

Successful people are just ordinary folks who have

developed belief in themselves and what they do.

Never -- yes, never --sell yourself short.

-David J. Schwartz

Imagine for a moment that you are already

a fabulous success...

at whatever it is that you want to be....

How does that feel?

Pretty darn good, I'd say...

Well, today I am going to attempt to

carry that with me...

Just for today.

Smiles.

Nothing sweeter......

Now....

I know I told you a while back that my grandchildren were

apparently, dogs....

Buddy and Roxy to be precise....

But there are others....and

I could not love 2 children more if they were my own...

Now..I warn you,

if you are prone to saying

Awwwwwwww.....

Well,

get ready for the uncontrollable sigh..

I was treated to lunch today

by their mother,

who is one of the most talented photographers

I have ever met,

bar none...

however, she was busy putting lunch on plates,

so I snapped, just like the Queen....

I snapped some images

spontaneously...

these are untouched

and fun for me...

Oh, yeah..

Sweet tea too

nothing sweeter!

Smiles.

Please don't call me crazy....

Please...

because I recently donated a whole dark room...

Enlarger, paper, canisters, instruction manuals,

etc...

to a student of photography...

young, inexperienced, enthusiastic, naive,

and surprised at the volume of

equipment that was being offered for free...

This equipment was stored at my parents' home,

and had tons of old emotions from a failed marriage

attached to each piece...

Sadness...

Worry...

Fear...

Anger....

Well, you get the picture,

I just simply couldn't look at it anymore.

So,

I called the local Community college...

found a photography instructor,

asked him to find a deserving student,

who could really use a break...

And he delivered.

They loaded a truck on a rainy afternoon...

and drove off with part of my history.

Whew!

No Image Today....

Well, I am finding myself on someone Else's' computer......
Trying not to look like dork....

I can't even seem to hit the space bar correctly....

But I am inspired...

Well.....really just lost....

I might have to start over when I get home,

as my typing technique today is estrogen induced