Introducing Funday Monday ... wanna play?

It's Monday, the start of the work week for most of us, and a day few of us really look forward to. So I've decided to turn my Mondays into Fundays. And with that, I'm introducing my very first FUNDAY MONDAY. Ta da ...

So what is a Funday Monday you ask? Well it's a Monday in which you carve out a few minutes for some fun thinking.

Today's FUNDAY MONDAY thought starters are;

* Control yourself, you're about to ... (you fill in the blanks)

* The place I feel my happiest is ...

* Just the night I dreamed ...

* Oh, that blue reminds me of ...

* If my style was a book, I'd call it ...

* I get my inspiration from ...

* The sound of crickets makes me remember ...

Okay dear readers, I've given you quite a few thought starters to have some fun with. After all, not every thought on a Monday has to strain the brain!

Till next time, be kind, be happy, be healthy!

Lori

My Inspiration

Today my husband took me to see JULIE & JULIA, the long awaited Meryl Streep, Amy Adams movie. I'd read Julie's book (for which the movie's named) a year ago and Julia's MY LIFE IN FRANCE three or four years back. Talk about inspiring women!!

Both of these charming women (I'm speaking of Julie and Julia here) found themselves at a sort of fork in the road of their lives. For Julia Child it was life in France with her government employee husband, and her desire to not be just another wife sitting it out at home. For Julie Powell, it was feeling stuck in a job she no longer (if ever) found stimulating and a personal fear that she'd never finish anything.

I wish I could say I've never had an unmotivated, uninspired day in my life, but that would be a lie of olympian proportions. In fact, I think it's fair to say that since I "officially" retired in 2004, I've had more UNINSPIRED than inspired days. It's not that I don't have dozens of things I could be doing ... even our wedding scrapbook (begun in 2005) remains unfinished. As does a travel scrapbook, a half dozen childrens stories I've written for my stepdaughter and promised myself I'd shape up, add to and at least make an attempt at getting published. The mind is willing, but the flesh is weak.

On the other hand, I did recently turn my little kitchen-table hobby of decorated apparel into a real (read: paying) business. But even that project was peppered with moments of me asking myself if I really wanted to do it, had the energy to do it, even cared enough about having a business of my own - to do it. So far, I seem to be on the right track. But as Scarlett Ohara herself said; "tomorrow IS another day".

Inspiration is a personal thing. And for me at least, it's fluid. Some days I'm more inspired than others. Maybe it has something to do with thinking I've earned "retirement", maybe it's that somedays I feel downright old and tired. And maybe the answer to it all lies in simply taking a first step. Like I've done with my new business, and this blog. For me, inspiration isn't just in the "doing", it's in the "seeing". Maybe that can be an inspiration for you.

For Melinda R, the reader who asked me to post an example of my photos from my "Thirty Photos in Thirty Days" ... here you go Melinda. The baby rattle (pictured above) seemed to jump right out at me from a display in the charming English Tea room where my husband and I enjoyed a lovely afternoon tea today. Now it's your turn. Come one, give it a go, I promise inspiration is just a click away!

Lori

Where does inspiration come from?

It's a question I've asked myself hundreds of times. And I think I might, just might, have an answer.

Inspriation is everywhere. It's in nature; a flower, a bird, a sunset, the ocean waves crashing on the shore and your footprints in the wet sand. It's in the wise face of an old person sitting on a park bench. Inspiration can be found in your local garden center, on the golf course, while waiting for a bus, out walking your dog, or petting the cat curled in your lap.

The truth is, our world is full of inspiration that we "see" but don't really notice. So how DO you take notice and find your inspiration?

Here's a project I was challenged to do this month, and that I want to pass on to you - it's called "Thirty Days of Pictures" and here's how it works; for the next 30 days, I want you to keep your camera handy and take at least one impromptu picture every single day. If you can take more photos ... do! And don't skip a day just because you took extra pictures the day before. Take pictures everywhere! Inside and outside your home, on your commute (not while driving however ... safety comes first!!!), while you're waiting for your pedicure to dry, while you're waiting for the children to finish their Little League game, while you're waiting for your airline pilot husband's commute flight to arrive. Even from your hotel room window. SNAP PICTURES!

I carry a very small, very light weight Fuji Finepix Z digital camera with me at all times. Some days I'll take numerous pictures of the same exact thing at various times of the day and evening. For example, right now I'm in Houston Texas waiting for Keith (my husband) to finish up his check-ride. I'm in the Marriott Hotel at Intercontinental Airport overlooking some of the Continental Airlines gates. Yesterday I was fascinated by the ballet of planes as they were moved into and out of the gate area. From my hotel window I took several photos around two in the afternoon, and shot more photos at sunset and shortly after the sun had set.

The point of this exercise is to teach us that there's a big, beautiful world moving past us at break-neck speed and we really aren't capturing it all. By shooting pictures for the next 30 days you'll train yourself to really take in your own wonderful world. It's my understanding that this same exercise is often used to teach people to become better photographers. But my own goal is just to help me expand my personal idea of "inspiration". I hope it does the same for you!

Because my blog is new, and to encourage more of you to give this exercise a shot (pun intended) I'm going to sweeten the deal. Here's how;

Starting today (August 5th 2009) and running for the next 30 days I challenge you to shoot at least one picture every single day and at the end of 30 days (that's the 4th of Sept), to email me one photo that has personally inspired you. It might be a photo that inspired you to plant a garden, or help the homeless, or adopt a shelter animal. It could be a picture that inspired you to take up a hobby, renew an interest in a craft you used to enjoy, or simply be a happier person. Whatever it is, send me your most inspiring photo. All entries must be received by me not later than 11:59pm Pacific time on the 4th of September. Email me at lola.az@gmail.com

On September 11, 2009 I will post the picture I believe is the MOST INSPIRING PHOTO I've received and the person who submitted that photo will receive a prize. I promise the prize will be something "inspirational" and fun from La Petite Pilot.

Are you ready? START YOUR CAMERA'S!!