I got a new camera for Christmas. Its been on my wish list for over a year but it took me a awhile to figure out which camera I wanted (I decided on a Nikon COOLPIX S9100 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 18x NIKKOR ED Wide-Angle Optical Zoom Lens and Full HD 1080p Video (Black) -- note this is an affiliate link). And then I waited for it to go sale (hubby got it at a good price at Best Buy). I don’t aspire to be a professional photographer but I do aspire to be a better photographer. I want to learn how to use my camera to its fullest and to take better pictures. So I thought I’d participate in Project 52, a weekly photo challenge hosted by Darcy at My 3 Boybarians. I discovered her blog during her 31 Days to a Better Photo series; check it out. The theme for week one is resolutions. I don’t think my photo is terribly creative (another reason to keep at the challenge) but it represents some of my goals for the year, both personal and professional. What are your goals for 2012? How … [Read more...]
Finding Faith
I recently read Lost Edens - A True Story by Jaime Patterson, a book about the author’s failed marriage. There were so many poignant lines but the sentiment that resonated with me was Patterson’s struggle with her faith during this dark time in her life. She asks “Where is God in this?.” She prays for answers but feels she’s not getting a response, at least not the one she wants. And this I get because I’ve been struggling, too, and wondering where God is in all this darkness. At my darkest point, when I felt I wasn’t strong enough to carry the burdens weighing on me, I turned to a friend whose faith is solid. She encouraged me not to lose faith, that God wasn’t punishing me; He was crying with me and I wasn’t alone. So I prayed. And I bargained. And I got through. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason even if that reason isn’t always evident. I just have to remember to keep believing and I’ll find my faith. Disclaimer: As a member of the From Left to Write Book … [Read more...]
National Writing Day
Apparently, October 20 is National Writing Day. Who knew? You’d think I would. So, in honor of this day, here’s a post I wrote awhile ago about why I write. Still holds true. Enjoy. What have you written today? … [Read more...]
My Food Network Magazine Debut
I’m so so excited that I can finally share this news! Earlier this year, I was asked by Food Network Magazine – FOOD NETWORK MAGAZINE people! – to nominate three Maryland pizzas for a travel article they were planning about pizzas from every state. They selected one of my nominees and asked me to do a write up for the article. If you look closely at the end of the article, you’ll find my name listed under Pizza Scouts. Guess I can now add “Food Network Pizza Scout” to my resume. : ) Check out 50 States 50 Pizzas here. Click on thumbnail 20 to see the Flag Pizza from Baltimore’s Joe Squared and read what I wrote. To read more about my dining experience, check out my blog post for Maryland Life magazine. … [Read more...]
Struggling to Be Enough
This post is in honor of my friend Elena’s Be Enough 4 Me Cancer Campaign, a partnership with Bellflower Books and Cricket Answer to provide memory books to women with cancer by linking up a post about being enough. Right now I’m struggling. I’m desperately trying to juggle parenting a newborn with parenting a toddler, being a wife/daughter/sister/friend, working a full-time job on part-time hours, and keeping my house clean – all on broken sleep and without losing myself in the mix. And I’m failing. Its driving me nuts, this “season” of my life. I want my life to be “back to normal.” I want to be able to tackle my to-do list instead of letting it go wildly out of control. But I can’t and I need to accept that, right now, what I can accomplish, even if its just one thing on my list, is enough. I know I’ll soon have more time for that to do list. And I know that the stuff that really matters isn’t on the list anyway. I just need to give myself permission to let it all go and know … [Read more...]
