Tag: Blogging University

Photo 101 – Day Thirteen: Moment and Motion

Our lives are made up of big events and tiny moments. Ultimately, life is fleeting, and oftentimes it’s these small moments, this motion, that we love to document.
Think about the fleeting moments you experience each day — from a quiet moment with your child to a busy commute through the subway, among strangers. What will you share with us?
Today’s Tip: Movement is a great way to convey time and fleetingness.

While camping I tried to capture the bird taking off. This meant I had to let it eat steal (several times I might add) the leftover chorizo and egg I had cooked for breakfast. Sigh
Unfortunately, this bird didn’t want to cooperate and got a full belly before I was able to take the shot I wanted.
Boooo
It’s all good, I am still going to share with you the bird taking off, beak full of food, from the pan. She was quite entertaining. She amused me.

Oh and I think this bird is a Yellow-headed Blackbird female.
Looks over to the distance
Hello, my bird expert? Are you reading my blog still? Am I correct? 🙂

Blogging 101 – Day Twelve: Increase Your Commenting Confidence

Today’s task: read six posts written in response to the same prompt, and leave comments on at least two of them.

Oh how I tried to do this task. I randomly picked six posts and I came up with nothing. After my 15th, one I gave up. I did liked a handful of comments but just wasn’t inspired enough to leave a comment.
I don’t know I really have to feel something to leave a comment. I am not the type to write something for the sake of writing something.
I suppose the good thing is you know now that when I do leave a comment on your blog is because I was genuinely touched in some way. That’s good, no?

Blogging 101 – Day Eleven: Make a Prompt Personal

Writing prompts can be a blogger’s best friend: when inspiration is low and fresh ideas few, responding to someone else’s question can do get you out of a slump. There’s no need to treat them as requirement, though; prompts work best when you personalize them to fit your interests and perspective.
Today’s assignment: publish a post based on your own, personalized take on a blogging prompt.

Even though I have seen these blogging prompts, I never had the desire to participate in them because I can’t write on command. I am not that good. When I write is because I have been inspired in some way.
I admit I wasn’t very hopeful but when I went to their page, I found this.

The Kindness of Strangers
When was the last time a stranger did something particularly kind, generous, or selfless for you? Tell us what happened!

When I read this, it instantly took me back to a few years ago…
First, I want to share this video.

I know this is just a commercial but it’s beautiful and I like to think that these kinds of things can happen to some people in real life and that people are able to give without expectations.

Anyway, this video reminded of how about a year or so I experienced someone giving for just the sake of giving. That was a first for me.
We had lunch at a lovely restaurant that overlooked the ocean. It was a nice time and nothing extraordinary happened, just two people having lunch together enjoying each other’s company with lots of laughs.
When it was time to pay the bill, the waitress simply smiled at us and said it was all handled.
“What do you mean?” I asked.

Her smile grew wider and said a customer paid for our lunch as she handed us the receipt.

Now it was my turn to be shocked. Across the receipt, it was written paid in full by another patron’.

paidinfull

I was quite perplexed and I am sure it showed. I just didn’t understand why a complete stranger or strangers would do this for us. Believe me we aren’t anything special.

“Who did this and why?” I asked her as I started to survey the restaurant to see if I saw anyone that looked responsible….
She simply replied that they didn’t want to be known.
She smiled at us told us to enjoy this act of kindness and left.
End of story.

Funny thing is that this isn’t a story or a commercial it is real life and it happened to two regular people. It left a great impression on us and we talked about it until he dropped me home.
Truly one a great reminder on how some people can be generous. Makes you feel good for humanity.

Several months later, I “paid it forward”. It wasn’t planned but when I was at a Starbucks I just suddenly felt the need to buy whoever was behind me their cup of coffee or tea. I have to point out that I that time there was no one behind me. I gave barista 6 bucks, told her what I was planning, and told her if there was any change for her to put it in their tip jar.
What happened next is for another blog post but it turned out better than I could have expected but you know what? It felt good.
Writing all of this down is making me want to do it again… 🙂

Photo 101 – Day Ten: Mystery & Lighting Effects

Today, share an image that creates a sense of mystery. Intrigue us with uncertainty.

Today’s Tip: To stretch yourself, manipulate the light available to you to create a particular effect — use it to cast shadows and highlights to create a moody image. Work with natural light, or find an artificial light source

Day10 - mystery

When you’re lost and forever feeling too deeply
Open your eyes to a world of beautiful wonder,
The greatest treasures are found
On a journey in which those feelings are followed.

Follow your own path

 

Photo 101 – Day Nine: Warmth

Photography means “drawing with light,” and when you snap a picture with your camera, you use and record light to create an image.
When we’re out and about, we use the sun — our most abundant light source — to capture our scenes.
Today, capture an image of warmth, using the sun as your source. And if the sun is nowhere to be found, don’t worry! You can interpret warmth in a different way.

I was playing around and this is what I came out with… just a simple iris flower opening up to the warmth of the sun.

day9 -- warmth

Leave me to bask
In the warmth of this tranquility
Even for the smallest while
Before the frigid cold consumes me…

Blogging 101 – Day Nine: Get Inspired By the Neighbors

Today’s assignment: write a post that builds on one of the comments you left yesterday. Don’t forget to link to the other blog!

I stumbled upon this beautiful painting by Yuriy Ku. I left a brief comment that said “Beautiful…” I did that because I was at a loss for words. I am not a connoisseur of art or, even less, one that should talk about it but I found myself being captivated by his painting. I found myself being lost in it. The warm colors are inviting… It’s like a warm inviting dream.
Make me want to bathe as the sun retires for the night. 🙂

I asked him if I could write a poem based on his painting, put it here in my blog, and he has graciously accepted. Thank you Yuriy Ku!
If you have a chance please go and visit him.

Here is my attempt on today’s assignment hope you like. 🙂

"Sunset Bathe", 2014-2015, Yuriy Ku Drop
“Sunset Bathe”, 2014-2015, Yuriy Ku Drop

She sheds her clothes
Her toes slip into the cool water
It feels good to get away
From the heat summer brings

The water rises to her hips
her navel
her breasts
her shoulders

The sky shines orange and brown
It unfolds
It’s golden light
Onto the reflecting lagoon

Finally
she plunges

So captivating
So serene
So quiet
So perfect

This is her escape
This is her dream

It is what she needs
To shed all her cares
To release her inhibitions
To be vulnerable