It’s been a tumultuous couple of months, both in my own everyday life and in broader, world terms. I’ve been low and then high and then low again. Anxiety and sadness came to stay for a while, and I learned a new way of coping with them until a new project brought positivity back and sent them packing for a bit. Then the lid was lifted from Pandora’s box and the worst of the human character was released on an unsuspecting world. Bigotry, hate and racism in the news have made me anxious, for my family in UK, for my family here in Australia, for the future. I felt it far more strongly than I thought reasonable. I went to see my counsellor, and she says I’m not alone. Anxious times all round. I thought I’d better take a deep breath and take stock.
Making : A plaster coat background board for photography.
Cooking : New recipe developments.
Drinking : Tea – only ever tea.
Reading: A Bone of Fact by David Walsh – slow going as I keep falling asleep.
Wanting: More energy.
Looking: For a new direction.
Playing: Nothing.
Deciding: To keep pushing onwards.
Wishing: I felt more on an even keel.
Enjoying: Not having to get up so early during school holidays.
Waiting: For the election to be over.
Liking: That I feel more confident with my camera since doing a great course.
Wondering: What’s going to happen next.
Loving: My camera. It helps to anchor me.
Pondering: How life is constantly changing.
Considering: Taking on a new project.
Watching: Orange is the New Black.
Marvelling: At my daughters growing up so quickly.
Needing: My family and home.
Smelling: Wood smoke.
Wearing: Track pants and my brother’s old jumper.
Following: Two Loves Studio.
Noticing: That the mornings are getting a little lighter (when it’s not raining).
Knowing: Everything is going to change.
Thinking: About life.
Feeling: Helpless.
Admiring: Rachel Korinek, a food photographer/blogger I’ve just discovered.
Sorting: Out my life.
Buying: Op-shop crockery for food photography props.
Getting: By.
Bookmarking: All my favourite blogs again since upgrading to Windows 10 and losing everything.
Disliking: The things happening in the UK right now.
Opening: A new door – hopefully.
Giggling: At Mad as Hell.
Snacking: Biscuits – always biscuits.
Coveting: A new computer of my own.
Wishing: I could wave a magic wand to help my friend.
Helping: A friend with small, practical things.
Hearing: Rain hammering on the roof.
Sometimes it’s a good idea to Take Stock. It helps to make sense of your feelings a bit when you look at them out in the open.
Your photos are gorgeous. It’s the first thing I thought when your page came up. Are you in Melbourne? I need to learn how to use my camera so looking for a good course to do – could you share the details?
Thank you Collette! You can’t imagine how nice that makes me feel :) I am in Melbourne, and the course I took was recommended to me by fellow Pipster Sarah Bowen from sarahdipity.com.au. It’s actually a portrait course http://www.loveyourcamera.com.au/ but only because the teacher, Angie Baxter, is a portrait photographer. I took this course because I wanted to know how to use my camera in manual mode, confidently. The course was so great and Angie approachable and really hands on. I can highly recommend it.
I was going to send this to you and Mr B a few days ago – but then thought that you wouldn’t have any sense of humour on the issue, and censored the idea.
However, now that I read your blog, and feel sort of sad, I’m thinking “but you’re English – and one of your great strengths as a nation is being able to take the mickey out of yourselves!!!!” – and so I’m sending the link after all.
Ahead of his time . . . as always:
So spot on. Now the British have completely stuffed it up – it seems that was the idea all along! Thanks for the laugh – I need it.