Appreciation News Flash!

"News Flash!"I have been making public lists of appreciation for about two years now.  At first I didn’t tell people because I thought they might think I was weird.  Now that the secret is out that I am weird!  I tell most people when they are scheduled to appear on The List of Appreciation.  Some people are shocked and don’t know how to take it.  This posting is for those of you folks.

News Flash!

News flash!  You were already on the list I keep just for me .. likely several times!  Several. Times.  You are likely on mental lists of appreciation that other people make too!  You know all those people that you appreciate but never mentioned it to them?  Yes.  Or the times you told someone else how much you appreciate a person and a bunch of people chimed in about how much they appreciate that person too?  Yes.

You are appreciated.

Do the math.  You are appreciated.  A lot more than you know.

You make a difference!

Yes.  Yes you.  A lot more than you know.

*Thank you Brenda for helping me create the photo I wanted AND sharing one of your dreams with me!
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Last 12 hours to buy then most will be gone.

There are about 12 hours left until I delete most of the work in my ImageKind store. Your last chance to have a look and purchase.

Thank you – be well,

Monique

 

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My photography store with imageKind is going, going ..


I am cleaning out my ImageKind store because I will not be renewing my premium membership. When I revert back to a free membership (April 30, 2012) I understand that many of my photos will automatically be deleted. I prefer to pare down my account myself before then (April 29, 2012).

Reasons why you would want to have a look:

  • There are several images there that are not post anywhere else. For instance: photos of 2011 Wascana Park flooding (water reflections!) and some photos of my artwork that doesn’t usually get to see the light of day (pen and ink handwriting).
  • You have been thinking of purchasing one of my photos and want to make certain you get the image you want.
  • You have a birthday or other holiday approaching and you can purchase a photo that would be fabulous! 🙂
  • You are one curiously cool cat! 😉
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Looking for beauty in construction

Right now in Regina, Saskatchewan (Canada) there is a significant construction boom.  In my determination to enjoy this destruction/construction phase around me I have begun going for morning walks.  My prime objective is to find the beauty and usefulness in everything I choose to set my gaze upon.
These four photos are a short introduction to what I am choosing to gaze upon and how I choose to see through my lens.  All four photos were taken 26 March 2012.

Holes through the fence

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Javier and Meagan’s Tiny Sweet Dreams.

Meagan and Javier humouring me.I notice that I kind of dawdled on writing this up.  Whenever I photograph someone or ask them about their dreams I want to treat that digital or analog information as if it were the real person.  I do my best to treat their dreams as the Tiny Sweet Things that they are.

Let me begin with the fact that I admire anyone who skateboards.  It looks like a lot of fun .. and it also scares the heck out of me.  Javier has been skateboarding about five years for fun.  In the passed two years he has been working more seriously toward one of his dreams by challenging himself to do more difficult maneuvers.  I have a great deal of respect for his dedication!

I am working at better listening to my inner voice.  My inner voice said to go ahead and try to photograph [Javier skateboarding], I had plenty of time to do errands and still get home in good time.
I am very glad I did listen to my inner voice because I enjoyed the discussion with Javier and Meagan a great deal! 🙂

Questions I asked:

  • Who is a person you admire?
  • Tell me about your dreams?  What makes you shine from the inside out?
  • What is a piece of advice you would want to pass on to someone or your younger self?

Javier:

In skateboarding he admires Rodney Mullen.

In general he admires Serj Tankian.  System of a Down is one of his favourite bands.  We also briefly discussed how we both enjoyed the video where Serj interviews himself.

His dream is to skateboard professionally.  He would like to live in Whistler, BC or a similar place so that he can skateboard and snow board full time! 🙂
This video celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the Sunscreen speech reminded me of Javier for some reason.  🙂

The advice Javier wanted to give was given to him by his cousin Austin who passed away recently.

 

Meagan:

Meagan would like to work in veterinary medicine with animals in northern Canada such as grizzly bears and mountain lions.  Her dream is to compete in the Olympics in Show Jumping.  She enjoys this sport because her horse is “big and powerful and there is never a dull moment!”  She said with a laugh! 🙂  I had been previously unaware that there was an equestrian component to the Olympics .. the things I get to learn when I ask about people’s dreams! 🙂

The advice Meagan wanted to pass forward is that you never know what tomorrow brings so always give today your all.

I find it interesting how people with similar beliefs will be drawn to each other to learn/experience something on their life journeys.  Much fun and wonderfulness to both Meagan and Javier, wherever their journeys and dreams take them! 🙂


You can see more photos of Meagan and Javier here.

Thank you to both Javier and Meagan for being such great sports on a chilly day!  They are definitely on my appreciation list! 🙂

PS: I apologize to Meagan for spelling her name incorrectly, hopefully I have it right now.

 

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Gift for Javier.

I wanted to leave Javier with a gift.  I hope it is meaningful to him.  If he isn’t okay with this, I trust that Javier will let me know.

A gift for Javier.

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Oot and aboot with Javier and Meagan!

I was oot and aboot one afternoon last week and came across a very dedicated skateboarder (Javier) and his cheering section (Meagan).  They patiently let me take some photos of them.  I also handed my camera over to them and requested they make some photos of each other, they both obliged.  Here are a few of the results.

Meagan is the one on the left! 🙂

I like the angle of this one.

Javier shot this one of Meagan and I.

Meagan is quite the photographer! 🙂

Javier and his cheering section Meagan.

Meagan shot this photo too! 🙂

They also thoughtfully answered several questions I asked them.  I found them to both be very interesting and insightful.  I asked them about their dreams.  At first they both answered the kind of answer that a ‘normal’ person might be looking for.  What work or job they might like to do.  But I don’t really ask ‘normal’ people kinds of questions!  I wanted to know about their DREAMS!  What makes them feel excited?!  What lights their hearts up and shines through their eyes!?
With a bit more encouragement they both allowed me to take a peek into what makes their eyes shine.  It is late.  I want more time to give my write-up about my interaction with Javier and Meagan the attention it deserves.  My goal is to have the proper article published by Sunday 4 March 2012.

Javier is the one on the right.

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Stuck-Ness’ and water droplets are temporary.

I was doing Shiva Nata level one horizontals with legs when I began having trouble with 3-1.  I have done horizontal 3-1 with great success for months now.  With legs I have done horizontal 3-1 successfully for days now!  Perhaps that is why I noticed my brain mumble the words, “I’ll never get this right!”  Whoa there, I call bullshit!
I took a breath and worked on the pattern slower and more thoughtfully.  Of course I got it right eventually.

Bing, bing, bing! Epiphany!

All Stucknesses are temporary!

All stucknesses are temporary.   This means the best thing I could possibly do is relax by focusing on my own joy and well being.  This means it isn’t useful for me to fret.  I/we can’t make anyone else any better by making ourselves miserable!  We can’t make anyone less sick by making ourselves sick.  This playing small thing had been getting really unpleasant!  Time to raise up the bar for myself.

I notice that the more I do what I enjoy and bring fun to any situation, the better my life goes.  The more things seem magical.  The more people accuse me of being really lucky.  Some jokingly say I have horse shoes up my butt .. err maybe the entire horse that I am so lucky?!

The more I trust and focus on fun the better life seems to go!  During the temporary times that knowing had slipped my mind my temporary stucknesses have gotten stuckier.
Now I know what I have to do!  Play more!  Create and enjoy more fun!  Stay curious!  Be my very best me!

Play with me?  What playful ways do you add more fun into your life?  Or maybe a better question is, what playful ways are you going to add more fun into your life in the very near future? 🙂

 

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Yes, it might involve hard work.

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Daffodils on my land.

This is dedicated to Naomi and Daffy & Daisy (Mike & Leslie Fay).  For their fun ways of playing with me and choosing to live their lives on their own terms! 🙂

 

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