Author: alison@tinyblueorange.com

When work, commitment, and pleasure all become one and you reach that deep well where passion lives, nothing is impossible.

~Nancy Coey~

10 days ago you might remember I was diligently working on a video that means a lot to me.  I applied for photographer Me Ra Koh’s SOAR Scholarship, an amazing opportunity that will give 3 lucky, talented and deserving women the tools needed to launch a photography business in 2010.

If you haven’t heard yet my video is now posted and ready for view on Me Ra Koh’s website. If you want to see my submission just click the link below to check it out. If you feel so moved you are welcome to leave your comments of support as well. When my video loads, if you do not see comments on the right side of your screen just click the ‘show details’ button at the top of the page and the comments should appear.

Beryl’s SOAR Video Application

But don’t just watch my video.  Please please please watch the others.  Start watching the them all and you’ll quickly see so many other inspirational stories.  The judges start reviewing videos soon and mine is one in a sea of 255 amazing applications. Stories of hope, fear, tragedy, motivation, determination, and excitement about what 2010 may bring.  These women will be my anchor next year. Keeping me grounded and focused on this journey.

Thanks to Me Ra’s encouragement we’ve already started talking, commenting, and conversing. On the SOAR site, Facebook, Twitter, via email, our blogs.  And it’s only been 10 days since I shot my video and 4 days since my video went live on the site!  It’s incredible to see the photography revolution Me Ra has begun from one small spark of inspiration.  And the conversations I am having with these fellow photographers, who all share my passion, and my fire to learn, and to grow, and to dream, and to become. It’s amazing.

And it’s only just begun.

“A single conversation across the table with a wise person is worth a month’s study of books” ~Chinese Proverb

Many of you who watched me begin my photography journey in March know that my love for this art sparked from something called Project 365. The 365 project is one where you take a photo a day for an entire year and share them via a photo blog, flickr, facebook or other online source.  My interest in the 365 peaked as I saw my friend curiousillusion go from taking good pictures to taking GREAT ones in the span of about 2 months. The term ‘practice makes perfect’ really held true with this project. As you start taking a picture a day you start to see the world through the eye of a camera lens. You learn rather quickly what works with your camera and what doesn’t. And you can go from good to great in a matter of months.

With curiousillusion’s encouragement I started my 365 March 1st 2009. I was incredibly inspired by all the artists I met on flickr, I made some amazing new friends during my journey, and I even inspired 3 friends to take the plunge and start a 365 of their own. I reaped many rewards from this project, but in June during the midst of morning sickness and early pregnancy I just couldn’t keep up and I stopped my 365.

I really regret not sticking it out.  The perfectionist in my wanted a perfect shot every day.  And eventually, as my well of photo inspiration ran dry and the pregnancy took over my body, I gave up.

Now as a new year is about to begin and a fresh start is on the horizon I am on the fence about whether or not I want to pick back up the project I was unable to finish last year. The perfectionist in me is scared that I will once again get wrapped up in taking a superb picture every day and stress myself out to the point of quitting.

But, on the other hand, stepping away from the project last year allowed me to see my final product from quite a different point of view.  I love that I now have a visual diary of my life from March – June of 2009. My memories of this past year are so much more vivid because of those images. I remember the exact day things happened because of those pictures. It doesn’t matter anymore if it was a good or bad shot. For that moment in time it was me. My life. My emotion.

I am still on the fence about whether or not I want to commit myself to a project this big again but I am 99% sure I am going to take the plunge. I surely know if I do it this year I need to do it not for the glory of the perfect shot. I need to do it to record the moments of my life. The little ones and the big ones I can’t get back but can remember through my images.

Anyone else starting a project on Jan. 1 (photography related or not)? Anyone want to take the plunge and start a 365 with me?  I think you’ll find it to be one of the most worthwhile self-exploration projects you’ll ever do finished or not. I know that was the case for me in 2009 and I want to say I reached the finish line this time in 2010.

Santa (aka – My Calmer) has been very good to me this year, especially in helping me make a few of my photography dreams come true.  A big part of his generosity has been a partial redesign of my itty bitty workspace in our family room.  One major thing getting an upgrade? My desk chair!  I need a better space for editing. Sitting on the sofa every night with the laptop in my lap is no longer working. Why do I edit on the sofa?

THIS is the reason I currently edit on the sofa

The chair may look nice in the space, but it’s just awful to sit in. AWFUL! It’s short, the curve in the seat is awkward, and the chair is hard. Not the best working conditions, AT ALL.

So Santa decided to do something about it this year (thanks Santa!).  And today we went to the store and bought what is soon to become my new best friend.

This is the Lauren dining room chair from World Market. She is absolutely perfect in every way. The right size. The right height. The right cushion. And she was even on SALE! It was meant to be if it was on sale.

The redesign isn’t over, but it has sure gotten off to a great start! I can’t wait to make some more changes in the coming weeks and share them with you. Exciting things are underway, but you’ll just have to wait a bit longer to hear what they are.

Where do you typically use your computer when photo editing, chatting, or doing your daily business online? Is there anything in your working space that you can’t live without?  Something I must have in my redesign? Tell me here!

From my little family to yours, Merry Christmas! Me, my Calmer, Vincent, and Ebony (who is a little camera shy today), had a wonderfully quiet holiday spent at home and with family.  I received some wonderfully useful photography tools today that will come in handy over the course of the next year, including some books I am excited to begin diving in to. They look to be not only full of useful information but bursting with beautiful photos as well.

How did you spend your Christmas? I want to hear all about it!

…and all through our house a calm and quiet evening, just me and my spouse.

Many thoughts flood my mind on this night before Christmas. Of what I thought this year would be and what it has become. Dreams fulfilled, broken, and now re-emerging.  I’ll be speaking more of those dreams in the next few days as I count down the days left in 2009.  Tonight and tomorrow I will be enjoying time with my rock, my Calmer.  Being thankful for what we have. Our loving families. Our home and fur kids.  And most of all, each other.

I wish you all a  holiday that is merry and bright.

And may we all look ahead to a wonderful new year just around the corner.

A special friend is in town for the holidays and tonight was spent at my place with her and her close knit group of supporters. There was food and drink, games, smiles, and lots of laughs.  This girl means the world to me and even though we’re miles apart now I know her heart is still close and I’m so glad to be able to have a bit of time with her around this time of year.

A friend is one who walks in when others walk out.
~Walter Winchell~

Patience is definitely what I needed today as I braved 11 hours of sitting in traffic and an abundance of retail shopping.  I can now happily state my shopping is complete and we finally have gifts under the tree.

Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself.

~St. Francis de Sales~

Today I was finally able to get out of the house for a little bit and start winding down my holiday shopping.  The roads were still quite slushy and it’s days like today that I am so thankful for 4 wheel drive.  Tonight I have a peek for you all at what the blizzard of 09 did to our front yard after The Calmer got done shoveling our driveway. Now this is A LOT of snow.

I love when wishes come true. Like mother nature dumping 2 feet of snow, the largest snowfall on record for December in the Washington DC area, 2 days before our winter vacation. It snowed so much and so hard that we were granted 2 snow days on Monday and Tuesday and do not have to return to work until after the holidays. 2 week vacation, here I come!