JanTwo-Three: Prevailing

Unfortunately, the last two days I have been D-R-A-G-G-I-N-G.  Trying to couple a social life with recovering from stress fractures and fighting off some kind of cold, my energy levels are low and my focus is scattered.  But I shall prevail!

I didn't do it on purpose but it seems the theme for this week is revolving around quality time with Matt.  As cliche as it may sound/look to the outside world, those who are close to me know how different this is for me. And I really don't care how many people might cringe at the past two days of shots (no, nothing cuddly or smoochy.  Relax.)  It was a week of celebrations for us, to continue today and tomorrow. So suck it up!

JanTwo: Motivations
Part One of my Christmas Gift to Matt grew out of a comment he made while we were cooking dinner one night - that he needed more pictures of us.  So I did some digging and got a couple dozen 4x6s printed, not just of us, but also of him and his best friend, Beka, and of "his girls" - Beka and myself.  I also bought a super cheap whiteboard, so, now, it's less of a Christmas thing, and more of a keeping us  motivated thing.  Not only will it remind both of us what is important, with a super collage of photos sporting the glowing grins of his family, cards from his cousin's kids, and the promotion photo of him and Beka with their brand-spankin' new Captain insignia intact, but keep us motivated with the new healthy-living meal plan.

1.2.12 - Re-organizing and modifying Matt's fridge was part of my Christmas gift to him.  It now includes a number of cute couple-y photos of us together, as well as pictures with his bestie, Beka, a photo of his cousins' kids, his family, and - of course - Irene, in addition to my Christmas card and a whiteboard for meal plans and notes.

Photog Elements: I love my swivel Liveview. I held the camera above my head with a bounce flash for this shot.  I wanted to have that big to small line on the fridge since that kind of communicates part of the resolutions this year - simplify.



JanThree: To Another Happy and Healthy Six Months
I love food.  It's one of my affairs that I pay a lot of attention to. Last night, I finally used one of my Healthy Recipe Pins from Pinterest to cook up a six-month celebratory dinner for Matt.  I documented most of the evening, which, altogether, was a pretty simple meal.  If you're looking and thinking "Yum..." you're right.  I'll link both my Pinterest Boards and the Recipe below.

1.3.12 - I haven't completely bought into the Paleo Diet that is going around, but I am pretty close to buying into a Whole Foods based approach to food.  Considering eating Paleo is 100% whole, unprocessed foods, I've adopted some of those concepts in my cooking.  So this meal - Balsamic Chicken Bake, is all protein and veggies, with some extra flavors.

Cooking Tip: No matter what you're doing with your meat, searing the outsides, or browning on mid-high heat, helps contain the juices of the meat.  Since I baked the chicken in a ton of veggies and liquids, I browned the outsides with salt and pepper before tossing it in the oven.  I also made a mess doing it. Smiley Face.

In addition to eating healthy, I'm saving money.  Which means wasting money of fresh ingredients that will eventually rot in the crisper is a no-no. Dried Basil and Garlic Powder it is!

So simple - everything in one casserole dish, pour spiced balsamic vinegar mixture over top.

Pop in the oven at 375ish degrees for 35 mins, sprinkle with mozz cheese (not a whole food), and back in for another five. You wouldn't believe how delicious it smells.

1.3.12 - I served it up with a couple cups of green beans (frozen, cooked in microwave with garlic salt) and a side salad (I also drank some Detox Water with it as well).  Easy, healthy, light, and wonderfully delicious.

 Photog Elements:  I played with flash vs ISO a lot today - reminding myself that this challenge is a learning experience.  My conclusion is that I want to play with some other flash diffusion concepts.  So Note To Self: Diffusion. Look into it.


Check it:
Pinterest - Healthy Recipes  - Balsamic Chicken Bake (I added mozzerella Cheese and used yellow onions instead of red, since Kroger's red was looking pretty peck-ish.)

Detox Water: (I started drinking this a couple weeks ago.  I've noticed I don't retain water/weight as much when I drink it, and I feel clean... it sounds odd to FEEL clean, but I do. ) Slice 1 lemon, 2 limes, half a cucumber thinly and put in a gallon pitcher with a couple mint sprigs.  Top with ice, fill with water, and let it seep in the fridge overnight.  Or, an easier approach - Two thin slices of lemon, lime, and cucumber, lose the mint (cuz it wilts).  Put it in bottom of tall water glass, and keep re-filling water glass with ice and water throughout the day.  The juices stimulate digestion processes and kidney function.  (You're gonna pee a lot.)
  

JanOne: 365 Days of Improvement

Like I said in the last post, the past 18 months have been rough on me.  I've faced a handful of challenges - some the normal coming-of-age character-building obstacles, along with a few more unique happenings that I'd gander most 22-23 year-olds wouldn't imagine facing.  None are a sob story worth boring you, but they all contributed to a better, stronger me, who has finally taken control of my own path, and adopting the honored attitude behind poem "Invictus" by William Henley (see below). As cliche as it has become since the 2009 biographical sports film, I still find the words encouraging and empowering to a generation who is truly having to fight for their own futures.

Every year, I make a list of aspects in which I have grown in the past 12 months, and, considering the emotional gutter I was stuck in 365 days ago, that list is extremely long for the year of 2012.  A large percentage of the list came all the more clear to me on New Year's Eve, which I spent with two people who I didn't know existed a year ago.  After an evening talking about my past, we toasted a long and happy future together, and a year of improvements for me, rooted in the changes I made for myself in the past six months.

Now, along with establishing a strong foundation of supportive, positive friends, I'm starting a new challenge, focused on improvements and growth in a part of my life, and career, that makes me infinitely happy - photography.  Three-hundred and sixty-five days (so is the plan now, but may fall victim to it's own sabbatical pending a series of career-making decisions in the next couple of weeks) of taking pictures, challenging myself and pushing myself to find perspective and beauty.

NOTE: Despite the lack of sarcastic quips in today's post, I'm not giving up who I am as far as my sense of humor goes.  I've heard all the psychological babble about the negative effects of sarcasm.  I just don't care about it. Smiley Face.

12.30.12 - So the concept is to stop focusing on the barbed wire...

12.30.12 - ...And take a step back, to focus on the bigger picture...

12.31.12 - ...And telling the whole story, silver-lining (or blue felt bag and red satin ribbon) included.

Day One (Aka "JanOne"): Happy Outback Bowl Day!

Matt, one of the two people I mentioned earlier who did not exist in my life a year ago, has become a huge part of my new positive attitude life.  Being from Michigan, he's been a Big Ten/ Wolverine fan since birth.  Though I can't claim my athletic loyalties are lifelong, I am a Gamecock alum, so yesterday's Outback Bowl was a "relationship divided," as Michigan and South Carolina battled through a highly competitive and closely matched four hours.

Obviously, our health kick resolutions didn't start until this morning (New Year's is a holiday, so it doesn't count.)  But, our friendly competition didn't go past a victorious cheer at each play, and, as you can see for yourself from my "perspective shot," we still cuddled on the couch while we watched.

1.1.13 - Michigan Wolverines and South Carolina Gamecocks battled touchdown for touchdown on Tuesday in the 2013 Outback Bowl.  Though the Gamecocks ultimately took home a victory, both teams were well-matched in the four-hour game that closed both teams' seasons.

ELEMENTS:
- Perspective: I debated for a while what kind of shot I wanted to communicate the shot.  After a brainstorm that lasted the full first hour of the game, I settled on a first-person perspective shot over a tripod third-person perspective.  I'll admit part of that was that I was still in my PJs (we didn't get home until after 3am), but the point of a perspective shot is to show you how I saw the day, and put you in my shoes.  Or cotton polka-dot pants. Whichever.
- Composition/ Supporting Elements:  Sometimes in a photo, less is more, but, In this case, I wanted to show the focus of our day - being lazy and watching football.  So, along with my decision to show our day from my perspective, I also waited for elements contributing to the whole story, including the empty pizza box, and Matt watching as the ref indicates that the Gamecocks secured another score.
- Life in a Kodak Moment: I hate posed shots.  I might snap a few when people have figured out I have my Nikon focused on them, but I rarely post the shots, because I rarely feel they're the best one.  Sincere smiles look extremely different from a posed, forced cheesin' grin.  The Kodak moment shot of Life is a growing movement in photography, with a lot of professionals reminding photojournalists that real life happens in moments of cluttered living rooms, not posed Christmas sweater sets.
- Bounce Flash: My only lens that goes down low enough for a perspective shot is a zoom lens, so the AP on that puppy leaves something to be desired.  It's not fast.  At all.  So I clicked on my off-body flash, and pointed it toward the ceiling.  Bounce Flashes diminish the harsh deer-caught-in-headlights look that a direct flash tends to cause.  As a natural indoor diffuser, it also softens shadows and provides an additional light source so you don't have to use a tripod.



"Invictus" by William Ernest Henley
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.