Garage Sale Season . . .

There's nothing better than a good garage sale .. . well maybe there are better things . . .but it is such an exhilaration to find that "perfect" thing for a fraction of new price. . . There's only ONE problem .. .getting those one of a kind bargains requires getting up at the crack of dawn to get there .. . well . .. anyone that knows me . .. . also knows that I am NOT a morning person . . . but there are times when the curiosity gets the best of me and I muster up the energy to get up and around and make the trip .. .

Today had a bit more motivation for me though because not only was there ONE sale . .. it was the TOWN wide sale day . .. I kind of just split the difference and instead of getting up with the chickens decided to just see what time I naturally woke up without the blaring of an alarm clock .. . well that happened to be about 7:30 .. . sooo that wasn't too bad really . .. I got to town about 8:15 and hit the one I wanted to go to first. . . it had been advertised in the paper so I knew about it before getting the map.

It was a good day .. . I got several things that I can't say I just "needed" but things that I had a "vision" for and for a GREAT price too. Didn't really find much else throughout the morning so I guess it paid off to get up early! Now we'll see what next week brings. . .

Technology. . .

Have you ever asked yourself what we did before their were cell phones, computers and email! I'm not really a real "techie" person and don't really care for all the high tech, fancy and sophisticated things .. .just give me functionable. . . However. . . I have gotten sooooo totally dependent on the internet and email that when it isn't working I am a delirious woman . .. and that really isn't a good thing! So. .. what do you do when thing break .. . I am pretty computer savvy. . . but sometimes I know just enough to be dangerous. So today . . I do my normal morning routine. ..get up . .. turn on the computer. .. and go to check my email, read my normal daily news. . . and wait .. . and wait . . . and wait. . . nothing would load. . . so I called Tech Support. .. they told me we had downloaded too much stuff according to their "Fair Use Policy" .. . i'm like what the heck.. sure I had actually heard of this "policy" but did I read all the fine print . . . forget it . .. . soooo anyway . . . they changed their policies to reset this every 24 hours instead of every 4 hours . .. so basically this silly internal computer of theirs monitors everyone's usage and if we go over our allowed amount they boot us back to dialup speed.. . now isn't THAT nice.. . needless to say I was NOT a happy camper. . . but I"m stuck . . . this is the only option I have because of where we live. .. . .. soooo now back to the original question? What exactly did we do without all of our latest technology??

Trust. . .

To have trust in someone is a very powerful feeling. I often find myself being very untrusting . . . I'm not really sure why ... over the years things have happened I suppose to give me this feeling. . . but on the other hand I have come to realize that I am too trusting. . . One of the worst feelings in the world is to think you have earned someone's trust only to find out that you have been betrayed. . . sometimes this may be a good friend, sometimes this may be a co-worker, and sometimes it may be your own family. . .

So how do you deal with the betrayal? Do you confront the person about it? Do you just try to pretend like nothing is wrong? Facing situations like this are not pleasant no matter how you choose to deal with it. Bad feelings tend to always surface as a result that can sometimes scar a life or relationship forever. So when I find myself being too trusting . . . maybe that is what brings out the continous mistrust. It is just one big vicious cycle!

Enough is Enough .. .

Okay . . . I can deal with alot of things ... Snow in April is not one of them!

What does Investment mean to you?

What do you think of when you hear the word investment? I think the first thing that comes to my mind is money, and I'm sure that is how many others think as well. But then there are some that may think of it in terms of time spent doing something. However, in the end even that boils down to the "time is money" adage of things.

I decided to actually look up the definition of Investment just to see what it said. Dictionary.com provided me with quite a "list" of things that define investment. For reference, I have listed them for you below. Take a look and see if you agree . ..
1.the investing of money or capital in order to gain profitable returns, as interest, income, or appreciation in value.
2.a particular instance or mode of investing.
3.a thing invested in, as a business, a quantity of shares of stock, etc.
4.something that is invested; sum invested.
5.the act or fact of investing or state of being invested, as with a garment.
6.a devoting, using, or giving of time, talent, emotional energy, etc., as for a purpose or to achieve something: His investment in the project included more time than he cared to remember.
7.Biology. any covering, coating, outer layer, or integument, as of an animal or vegetable.
8.the act of investing with a quality, attribute, etc.
9.investiture with an office, dignity, or right.
10.a siege or blockade; the surrounding of a place with military forces or works, as in besieging.

As you can see both of the definitions I mentioned to begin this blog are also on this list. So now that you know the official definitions does it change your thoughts on what it means to you. It really didn't for me but it made me really stop and evaluate what I personally invest in. I definitely invest money. . I mean all those props, backdrops, studio samples cost me money right . . . and in purchasing those I'm investing something I've earned back into my business . . . but I wouldn't say that my money investments have anything to do with the terms shares and/or stock. But as I truly evaluted my life as a photographer and business woman, I think where my biggest investment definition fits is in #6--giving of time, talent and emotional energy for a purpose or to achieve something.

To me my job as a photographer is to provide you an investment that you will always be proud to own. In doing this I invest my time, talent and emotional energy to do so. Of course I'm not complaining ... this is my job after all . . . and in the end I achieve not only a "paycheck" but my biggest reward of seeing my clients face light up when seeing their images or hearing them tell me they LOVE them. It's one thing to see them online in proofing mode. . . but to actually see, feel, and touch that image is another . . . it's almost like they just want to talk to you right off of the photo paper you are holding.

I am very fortunate that my job can also be called my hobby and I can have the best of both worlds by making money doing what I love. But I often wonder what goes through people's minds when they think about my "job". Do they think of it as a way that I provide for my family or do they think of it as my way of providing them an investment that will become a heirloom to their future generations. Exactly how do you put a value on this investment. Sure we can say well it cost me this much for these portraits of my child and in turn call that a monetary investment . . . but then the other side of the fence would argue that they could go to Sears and get the same thing for much less. . . a valid point. . . So as a photographer I ask myself again . . . what do clients think about when they book a photo session. Do they think only about the money that they will spend to get beautiful portraits of their child. . . or do they think about how they will always have these portraits that they have invested in to pass down from one generation to the next. This brings me back to the "time is money" theory. As a photographer when I work for you, I strive to provide you an investment that you are proud to display in your home. My investment to my clients not only consists of that actual portrait that you get to take home, but it also means that I invest my absolute best in doing it. I want to invest in you, my client, the time, talent and emotional energy that makes you feel like you have gotten more than what you can get anywhere else, but most importantly I want you to feel like your investment is worth every penny to you now and your future generations.

Have you invested in portraiture lately? If not, give me a call and see how I can help! You won't be disappointed. My investment to you will be your investment to your heritage!

Happy Easter!

I hope everyone is enjoying their day! It is nice and COLD here. .. so much for hunting Easter eggs. LOL... I have to say that is one stage I don't miss in my children's baby days.. . I think it is just because more Easter's than not the weather is not what I would consider pleasant and so the thought of hiding and hunting while wearing coats, hats and gloves is just not a good memory! But it could be worse. . . it could be blowing snow! shhhhh Let's not give mother nature ANY ideas... she has enough of her own! Hopefully now we can finally look forward to the "real" spring and start enjoying warmer days again. Unfortunately once warm weather comes it sometimes gets confused again and gives us those 100 degree days in May. I want warmth but I still want pleasant. . . of course no one asked me right!

Graduation is Near!

This kind of goes along with my post on "confusion" yesterday! Here we are talking about Easter and Graduation and the weather is NOT enjoyable... I mean seriously ... why should we ever have snow in April.. . Easter or not! So anyway .. . the real purpose of today's blog wasn't to complain about this awful weather . . . but to put a plug out their for anyone wanting Portraits of their 2007 Graduate in their Caps and Gowns. This is a limited time offer so see the details below! In the meantime anyone that has any control over the weather can put an order in for the 70 degree sunny kind! Have a good one ...

Confusion . . .

Okay . . . remember the other day how I so joyfully reported that Spring had Sprung. . . well I'm not sure exactly what happened to the calendar but it feels like it has slipped back to February! Spring is such a beautiful time . .. but in all reality .. .I hate it . . . I hate having to worry about my precious "yellow" flowers dying .. . I hate having to dress in layers so I'm prepared for anything . .. and I hate SNOW in April . . . I really don't prefer snow at any time . . . but if it has to do it doesn't it realize that it is supposed to come in those three months they call WINTER!!! During that time when we expect it and want snow days. . . Just what is mother nature thinking! Of course the snow is alot more bearable when it comes in April because it usually disappears almost as fast as it arrives.. . but not before leaving the damage behind of brown wilty flowers and harming the budding trees! Yea . . . Spring should have a new name . .. it should be called Confusion!

Going Once, Going Twice. . .

Okay . . . anyone else out there an auction nut . . . I seriously think it could be an addiction . . . However, there are two problems with this addiction which might also serve as a "cure" . . . 1) 90% of them are what I would consider a "drive" just to get there and 2) they typically start of an early morning . . . neither of which I do well. However, yesterday I decided I would bite the bullet and make the trip .. . early morning or not. I had checked out this Auction on the Auctioneer's website. That is nice to be able to do that . .. of course they also hang their sale bills all over town advertising the "must haves". So it's Saturday morning . . I got up early and we headed out. I say "we" because my husband and son tagged along. . . two reasons . . . this particular auction advertised a gun collection and my husband who does more of the "farm sale" scene had purchased an item a few days earlier that needed to be brought home . . . so why not kill two birds with one stone RIGHT!!

So we get to this auction . . . I immediately head out on my quest to find the "must haves" that were listed on the sale bill and the "boys" headed to the guns. This auction had quite the assortment of "collectables". We got there about 10 minutes before start time so there was quite a few people getting their last glimpses in before going to sit down. Things get going . .. and they are bringing things up to show us ONE SMALL item at a time. .. . this is just the way this particular company does things . . . but oh well . . . it seems like it's taking an eternity for any of my "must haves" to be brought up . .. but finally things start rolling . . . well I have discovered one thing in my years of auction attendance. . . I must have REALLY good taste. . . because inevitably the things that are on my list of "must haves" must be on everyone elses list as well . . . ARGH!!! At some point in the first 20 minutes the auctioneer mentioned that the guns would sell at Noon . .. I don't think that was quite what my 13 year old wanted to hear. .. He was kind of thinking let's get this show on the road and I can get outta here. . . So Noon came for them . . . and I have to say they had a bit more success than I did for their "quest" and they got one of the "must haves" on THEIR list bought . .. and for a reasonable price as well. Hey what's better than that! So although I would consider this auction day a bust for me . . . I guess I just have to realize that you never know until you go what you might find or be able to buy . . .

The auction season is getting into full swing . . . Can't say that I will find the urge to make the trip to many more but I did pick up another sale bill listing the next person's list of "must haves" on it . .. Maybe that day will be more successful!