Newness

Hi everyone!

I mentioned several months ago in the previous post that I wasn't finished blogging. So, I now present:

http://aperturemittens.blogspot.com, where you can find my photos

&

http://inkblotswritinglog.blogspot.com, where you can check out the progress of the literary pursuits of my friends and I. We're in the process of recovering from NaNoWriMo at the moment. 


 - Mia

Transitions

I've been thinking of this post for a few weeks now.

When I started this blog, I didn't know where it would take me or what I would experience. It's been an adventure, writing it and meeting other bloggers via the Internet. An adventure I've learned a lot through and have really enjoyed.

Now, it's my time to start a new adventure. I'm not sure yet which way I'll go, or where I'll end up, but I have ideas. My photography has come to a crossroads - I feel a pressure to get serious with it.

My change from homeschool to a full class load on a campus is also reshaping my view on things. Life in general, the future . . . those kind of things. I'm afraid that, for now, I don't have the time to write a satisfying blog.

But I'll keep writing and reading. I'll keep honing my photography. I'll keep being enchanted by life and love. And I'll grow my new interests, too.

This blog was started by a fourteen-year-old dreamer. Now she's sixteen, has new ideas and altered dreams.

 I have a feeling that I'm not finished with blogging - but I know that I'm finished with H,W. It has been fun, though. So, so fun and interesting. I loved the experience. When it's time for me to start up again, in a new place with the aforementioned new ideas and direction, I'll know it.

But until then, I'm backing off, to let myself transition from the past to the present. That in itself is an adventure!

And before I go, there's something I have to say: Thank you. For all the fun comments you have left and the wonderful blogs you write, thank you! It's been a joy to be inspired by you.

Keep growing, everyone!
M

PS - An afterthought: Isn't life nuts? And isn't God good? 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 

~Hebrews 13:8

Unsure of a title . . .

. . . but I know what's on my mind.

While I love a good blog post, I'm not always sure I'll pull one off.

My blog is my my time capsule. My time capsule. And even though I want to put days and weeks into it, I don't always have the hour or so it takes to do that cleanly and satisfyingly. Sometimes, most times, even, I don't even have the inspiration. The only thing I want to do is not forget anything beautiful. I don't want the pictures I took of those beautiful things to be forgotten, reduced to a number on the hard drive.

(I've been finding it hard to find a reason to publish a post without a photo, even harder than finding time to post at all. If that makes sense.)

So photos and memories are, apparently, the two biggest reasons I blog. And I have some good photos and memories from over the last week to capsule.

I've been so busy, doing so many different things I could talk/write about for hours, that I didn't have time to download the photos from my cameras onto the computer. Next week, I'm anticipating that it'll be so busy again that I won't have the time or patience to sit down at the computer and plug in the cameras, purge the photos that need purging, and whip the others into shape.

I'll maybe still be taking photos, and I'm certain that I'll be making memories, but whether or not I'll chronicle them here, or on flickr, or even order prints of my favorites, is another matter.

It's important to live fully. And while documenting your own personal reality via words (blog or personal journal in my case) and photos, I still have to remind myself that even if the memories aren't being properly stored or reflected upon, the experiences still happened. They made me smile when they happened, and their afterglows are delightful while they last. And just like the past experiences, of a day or week or season, happened, there are still countless others to go out and live.

Ok, I've written candidly this whole time, and I think that I've finally found my point: Life goes on. Whether what has happened was good or bad or boring or weird, life goes on. And if you're a Christian, life really keeps going on! =)

This post is now really long, and I'm getting really tired, so I'll sign off. If you had the stamina to read all the way here from the beginning, know that you deserve a mocha or frosted brownie or something equally delightful. =) On a different note, know that I really do appreciate you readers.

♥
~M

PS - I still have the want to capsule this last week, as it was one of the most memorable of my life thus far . . . because I started school. I'd really love to show you pictures and write a few (dozen) paragraphs, but you know why I'm not going to. Not today, anyhow. =) xoxo

Moments.

My friend picks up a cookie and the bottle of sprinkles. The sky is bright blue behind her, and the pink and purple of the candy and her nail polish make a cute color combo. Suddenly, I have an idea.

"Emily, I'm going to ask you to do something weird . . . " I say as I stand up to fetch my camera. "Keep sprinkling that cookie."

"Okay. . ." she laughs as I kneel and start taking some shots.

Soon, we're both laughing.

"Alright, thanks," I say as I stand up. "Wanna see the photo?"

A photographer, whose name I simply cannot recall right now, said that "Photography is the art of moments."

I really couldn't agree more. =)

Love,
M

Arriving at a Photo

The other day, I wanted to take a picture of my desk for my photography project. I had just joined Pinterest and wanted to show off how it inspired me to organize that usually-cluttered piece of furniture. Here's how I got it the photo I decided on.



The first photo I took. It's alright, but I'm certainly mot satisfied with the distracting background. And this whole deal was about the death of clutter, so I'll try something else.



Second angle. I like it, but it wasn't quite what I had in mind . . .



Here we go! I like this one - it's clean, bright, and the order is clear. Maybe it's a bit too clean, though . . .



. . . so I added an extra element to make the whited-out half matter a bit. Have I mentioned that G2 pens are a favorite of mine?

So there it is! A nice thing about digital photography has to be the breathe-easy way of experimenting . . . no film's being wasted, after all!

Of course, the beauty of film is that you're not going to take a photo that might not be what you want . . .

But that's a different topic entirely. =)

PS - Check a guest post I wrote here today!

Beautiful North

My family spent the last few days visiting friends, at their lovely place a few hours north of here. I've never experienced so much in three day's time, and it was all fascinating. To put it simply, a lot happened.

These are of the cabin we stayed in. It's a rustic, vintage-y place, built in the 40's and filled with odd and ends and books and beds. And so very cozy.

The bed that my sister and I shared the first night. It's built into the wall in the loft, the wall is all windows looking into the forest. I love it!

The lake is spectacular . . . clear, mostly cold, and deep. Wednesday night, I managed to swim across it!

And the fishing's alright, too, much to my brother's contentment.

We went to the nearby state park for some adventures . . .

Lack of a swimsuit didn't stop our little pal from playing in the river!

It was the perfect day - warm, sunny. Perfect for us tourists! *snicker* We ran all over the trails, gawked at the tallest trees, climbed the fire tower (100 feet is higher than it sounds!), and snacked on candy bars.

My friend took me to the county fair that evening. It was small, unlike the two fairs I usually go to, and I loved the environment.

The horse talent show was really fun to watch. I'd never seen a drill team prior to that night, believe it or not! And this pony was very cute - very perky and happy to show off.

I want a horse of my own. Badly.

The midway was definitely a highlight for me - the few rides we went on were splendid, and the evening light paired with the neon light was wonderful.

Quick question: Am I the only one who is heavily reminded of Charlotte's Web when at a county fair?

As for food . . . well, I'm just gonna say that mint malts, lemonade, and cheese curds are as good as it gets.

That night, my friend and I spent the night in the library above one of the workshops.

We started in on "Much Ado About Nothing". Much laughter ensued, and not only because we were bushed!



Isn't it lovely? Don't you want to become a hermit and live there?

It was an altogether amazing trip. I wish everyone could experience one like it! I also wish I had my camera present when the seventy bagels we made came out of the oven. ;)

But the most amazing thing that happened while we were there? We met a new friend - and he met the world. My mom puts it way better than I could . . . this baby's birth is proof that prayer works, and that God loves life.

I can't wait to get back there. Good friends, beautiful places, and so much to see and do.
Thanks for reading, much love,
M

The Aura, or, Summer's Still Here

Summer. Summer.

It's speeding by. By today, the aura is definitely here: the End Of Summer aura.

The weather has stopped being beastly (humid and hot) and has started being amicable (sunny 70's-80's). Need I say more? :)

Last night, after the weekly church softball game, I sat on the car's bumper and studied the sunset, inhaled the scented air, and thought about how perfect God created summer to be. It's lovely.

Today, while playing tennis with my brother and a new friend, the sky was blazing blue and the sun was beating down. It was beautiful and fun, and - here it comes - very summer.

This is the summer I've never been readier for. Winter was hard and long, and the arrival of warmth and sun and greenery was balm.

It's a strange to have dreams come to a close that was always coming.

School starts in less than month. Within that month, I still have a lot of summer traditions to pull off: one more week at camp, camping with my family, day trip to Lake Superior, slumber party with my pals . . .

Sunday afternoon: Ivanhoe, Atlas Shrugged, and berries. Heaven on earth, I believe!

. . . oh, and I want to keep reading.

The other day, I cracked my algebra book and tried my hand at a few problems. After the pangs of treachery wore off, I found that I liked dealing with that topic of the fall/winter months. I can't wait for school to start . . . you'll probably be hearing more on that topic in the next few weeks.

The dilemma: Think/plan/dream wildly about the tantalizing future, or soak up/dwell in/simply exist in the very lovely present?

Both, maybe?

Sampling

A few days ago
- 11, to be exact -
I started a photography project.

It's supposed to get me out of my comfort zone,
and take a good picture every day,
for 25 days.

It was going to be 24,
because I like that number far better
than 25.

But that detail got lost
in the planning,
and I'm fine with 25.

Maybe I'll make it 24 after all.
Or maybe I'll end up loving it
enough to make it
100.

Here are my favorite shots,
thus far,
from this endeavor.

#2 -

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. ~1 John 4:9

#3 -
Our fantasies are what most closely resemble us. ~Victor Hugo

#6 -
Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving. ~Albert Einstein



#7 -
Brunch at Ikea

#8 -

Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths. ~Psalm 25:4



To see the rest, my flickr is here.

Thank you for looking.
It means a lot to me.
~M

Powerlines, trees, and stoplights.

It was a golden evening.

After heavy rains and thunderstorms all day, the sky cleared and we had light.

Rich, golden light.

It was a glorious sunset. I stood in the driveway, camera in hand and mind moving fast, watching the sky change light and color in a mind-blowing, beautiful pattern.

The powerlines, trees, and stoplights that plague even slightly urban places were between me and the sky, but I looked on.
And inevitably, I started wishing to be at a place without any of those powerlines, trees, or stoplights.

I wanted a place where there weren't herds of cars driving by, without some of the drivers casting curious stares my way.

Imagine a field with no trees, a hilltop higher than any streetlight, or a lake with no shores. Wide, open spaces.

But I considered the traffic a little more, and I came to a conclusion:
I don't mind lookers-on after all.
Or powerlines, or trees, or stoplights.

The clouds were incredible. I don't know how many shades of grey and gold are possible, but I am sure that most of them were up in those clouds.

I was still thinking, in the back of my mind, about that abandoned hilltop and deserted, powerline-less, tree-less, stoplight-less field . . .

. . . but sunsets like this one aren't hindered.

And I'm going to

watch them

photograph them

and utterly enjoy them . . .

. . . no matter where I happen to be.

~

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
~Jeremiah 29:11
~

How to Kill Writer's Block Quickly and Humanely

Writing is so important to me. I love doing it . . . I love feeling that what I did is good. In a perfect world, I'd be able to feel that way every time I wrote; in an almost-perfect world, I'd at least be able to write something every time I felt inclined to.

But alas! this world isn't even almost perfect, and there are times when I simply. cannot. write! Here are some activities I did during a recent 'bout of block.

1. Write fan fiction. I surprised myself by doing this, as I previously thought I was a non-fan fict type. But lo and behold, this writer likes to write with another writer's people and places! It's really fun to give them your own twist; and I love "fixing" the things I would've done differently. Delving into character's quirks and making your own for them is also fun. And words come quickly when you're not wondering about what's coming next, or details of the plot or setting.

2. Immerse yourself in your character's world. Only one catch: do it in your world. This is really good if you're writing sci-fi or fantasy, but it works for anything. I'm pretty young and inexperienced, so my main character is going through a lot of things I do not fully know about. And that inhibition can really affect my want to write. So I get to know what she's going through by imagining what I would feel like in her situation. I filled up 10 pages of note paper with my being a part of a rebellion in my neighborhood. So much fun to write about, and it's amazing how authentic imagined feelings . . . feel. ;)

3. Write something off a whim. For me, this means writing without knowing exactly what I'm writing. I don't quite equate this with freewriting, but it's a little similar. I use the first idea for a character that comes to mind, stick her/him in a vague setting, and let it fly. It's exciting.

4. Don't write. Stop feeling obligated to wring out the words that just aren't coming. Read a novel, play the piano, take pictures, go swimming. Be inspired, but don't hurt yourself in the process. :)

~~~~

Hope these were helpful! How do you conquer block?
~M

2 photos, 4 links, a few words.

Hi!

I'm leaving for another week of camp this weekend - highly excited.



Before I go north . . .

. . . here are some pretty cool things . . .

Fennec foxes.

Will, Kate, and Canada. ♥

Classical music and how it's incredible.

Levitation self portraits. From Tokyo. ♥ ♥

And . . .



Prints of romantic paintings for $5.

Life is good in summertime.
~M

April 30

I realized that I neglected to tell you, my lovely readers, about something wonderful that happened a while ago.

I got a dslr.

(!!!!)

If you've been following since earlier this winter, you might remember some posts in which I either mentioned or fully expounded on my dreams about a big, nice camera. That dream came true about a month and a half ago.

April 30 was a rainy day. My dad took me to the camera store, where we met my grandparents, who were a big part of that good day. The salesguy brought out the box from the back room, the box full of the camera I had chosen a few days before. He set me up with a few accessories, the bill was paid, and home we went over the slick streets.

Arriving at home was when the fun really took off. I fetched my point and shoot to chronicle the event of unpacking, play by play.



I was sa-vor-ing that moment. Excitement was coursing through my veins, but I was happy to sit back, snap some photos, and enjoy the happy disbelief.





Ooooh....major excitement mounting!



I couldn't believe that this curious synthetic-wrapped black lump was mine. :)



The whole time, I felt slightly dazed. In the best way, of course! ;) I hadn't been expecting a camera like that, right then.

I was blessed with that camera. It's opened up so many possibilities. Sometimes, it feels unreal. I wasn't lucky when I got this camera; I was blessed.

Incredibly, amazingly blessed.

I'm indebted to so many people; the men and women who encouraged me, helped me financially, gave advice. I'm indebted to Jesus, who laid the foundation for everything good thing that has entered my life.

Thank you. Thank you.
~M