Keeping a Promise

It's blurry, but I promised and The Photo Schmoozer always keeps her promise!! May 16th was another big festival day in Pitman, NJ. This was Earth Day. Yes, we know that it was almost a month late, but Pitman does its own thing and scheduled this to coincide with the Spring Craft Fair. It's all about coordinatioin and making things most interesting to people. After we listened to 'the son' playing with the Jim Six band (read a post below), we went on over to one of our new favorite 'haunts' in town, The Ground House to have our favorite Veggie Pannini and sit outside to watch the people strolling by. As usual for The Photo Schmoozer, I go and talk to someone when I see something that catches my interest. Today was one of the crafters with her flip flops, ankle bracelet and tattoo. Of course, the brightly colored nail polish on the toes did a lot to also catch my interest. When there was a lull in her customers, there I was, flattery and all, asking to take a picture of her 'stuff'. She was thrilled and asked me to write down the name of the blog, which I did. Then a week has gone by and I have neglected to post the picture as promised. It is a bit blurry, but one of the things we learn from being a photographer is that not everything is 'perfect' and sometimes, we have to sit back and appreciate the imperfections in life. This is a way bigger lesson than taking blurry pictures. It is also about being a 'specialist' and thinking that by the title, one has to live up to expectations and 'know everything'. What do you do to relax about that and know that there is always someone or something out there to help you along? Share witih me. Until then, here is the picture.

Steppin' On Out

What a feast for The Photo Schmoozer yesterday at the First Annual Pitman Arts and Music Festival. It's my joy in life to watch, talk to and enjoy the variety of people out an about. Bill and I volunteered to sell tickets, give out the wristbands and generally have FUN!! Why this picture now on this blog?? And what does it have to do with this blog?? It's about the unique individuality of everyone. WE are all the same because we wear some kinds of coverings on our feet - we are all different because of how we choose to express ourselves. There's a funny story to this one though. See, I was sitting at the table so I only saw the top 3/4s of people. This young woman came with her ticket and as I put on her armband, I complemented her on the 'cute' yellow sundress. OK...move on to the next person! Later, I had the opportunity to do a 'walkabout' and my view of the person and 'cute little sundress' took on a totally new view when I saw the complete person. Imagine what it feels like wearing gladiator shoes up the leg!!
Of course, I stopped and chatted them up and asked 'Can I take a picture of those 'cool' shoes"? It's always a compliment to the individual and she was no exception.
So have you been out and about with your camera and noticed what people are doing or look like and the most important part - have you taken the time to stop and tell them what you see and how great they are? If not, DO IT!! It's fun and even more importantly, it MAKES THEM FEEL GOOD!!!

Jim Six and the City Limits with Special Guest Jon Mollenhauer!!

Without a doubt, Saturday May 16, 2009, was a red letter day in Pitman!! See, being a MOM is one of the greatest gifts that has been bestowed on me and raising this spectacular person is something that Bill and I are so proud of. The gift expanded when Jon arrived Wednesday night for a two week Spring visit to Pitman. He always has several focal points to his visit. One is spending time with 'the parents', a second is quality friend/music time with his friend Greg Potter and also their buddy Jim Six playing music for all of us to enjoy. A third is food.

Yesterday was the Spring Craft Show and Earth Day Celebration. Jim Six had arranged to play for the event with a band of his favorite friends/musicians and including Jon, special guest from Japan on the dobro. The weather was perfect and the outdoor venue in Ballard Park was a true celebration. The guys played for more than an hour - many original Jim Six songs - and there were lots of Earth Day prizes for everyone and a giant birthday cake as well. You can see some of the day's food on Jon's blog including the pulled pork sandwiches he and Bill had and the vegetable pannini from Ground House that is my favorite.

The Photo Schmoozer had a grand time 'schmoozing' with people all day long - old friends and some who instantly became new ones.

Just being out and about with friends and family (sister Lisa and niece Rebecca were here too!) brought lots of songs of joy to my heart.

Emerging!!

It's been awhile. Actually I think in some ways, since I started my new job and also had the surgery on my foot - both within a few days of each other, I have withdrawn from acknowledging what in life brings me JOY!! Why is that?? I have had to focus so much on healing and 'doing what the contract says we can and can't do' that I have NOW ALLOWED myself to experience life as it presents itself EVERYDAY!! Then Spring has emerged and the buds have popped up on the trees and on the shoots coming up from the ground and I have had to BE STILL and PAY ATTENTION. Last week, feeling rather low, I picked up my CanonS5IS and headed out to sit down in the dirt and look. I felt a calmness come into my spirit. No, it did not cause a permanent shift, but it did cause me to be IN THE MOMENT and that was wonderful. It focused my mind and offered me so many opportunities to realize that my life is filled with GRATITUDE and GIFTS. I am thankful and say so all the time. I realized that there are two favorite things that bring me joy with the camera:
1. Going to the HEART of the flower. I sit and go within the flower - right to
the center and it feels so right!!
2. Going out and finding people and getting into being THE PHOTO SCHMOOZER.
There are so many people out there with stories to share and I have been
missing some of them - actually a lot of them.
3. Taking pictures of people and their SHOES!! Each person is so unique in
what s/he chooses to wear and share and present to the world.
So first allow me to share my 'going to the heart'. Then I will write another blog and share more.
I promise myself and my readers that I will not be away again for any length of time because it does NOt feel good and I find great joy in sharing with all of you the POSSIBILITIES of what happens all the time.