Bootcamp Day 3

Note:  My comments were broken for a few hours last night and today, sorry for any time you wasted trying to comment.  Thanks to the kind souls who notified me, they are working again.

After spending several hours last night working on my Bootcamp assignments and checking out the work of the other participants I was determined to step up my efforts today, so I woke up excited to read what Maegan had planned for us.  The journaling assignment - creativity buzz kills - got my mind working, and the daily theme - multilayered - started bringing images to mind.

I continued to puzzle over both items as I got ready for work - spending most of my time trying to come up with a subject for a photo to go along with the multilayered theme.  I thought about rich pastries with flaky layers, but couldn't come up with the name and location for a place to pick one up.  I moved onto the next idea, the multilayered cliff formations I've seen on some of my travels in Kentucky - but the nearest one I could think of was an hour away.  A workable idea if I could figure out how to work a trip into my evening.

As I started my commute I started mentally freaking out about all that needed to be done today (full day of work, week's worth of laundry, packing for my trip home tomorrow and today's assignment.)  My idea of capturing a great photo of the cliff formations started to feel impossible.  I began doubting my ability to participate in Bootcamp and then that little voice telling me I wasn't as skilled as the rest of the participants started in as well.  Then it hit me - I am my own worst creativity buzz kill.  I was letting the stresses of daily life and my own perfectionism kill the joy of the assignment.

I mentally pulled myself back from the cliff - remembering that what really mattered was the attempt and the journey.  With that thought in mind I started to look around with a more open mind, looking for other illustrations of multilayered, something that wouldn't require several hours of driving that would have to be fit into an already full day.  Then I looked up and saw the morning sky, full of layers of thin clouds and golden morning sun.  What I needed to complete the assignment was right the staring down at me.

I took a few minutes after arriving at work to capture photos of the morning sun.  I walked around the building looking for better angles and discovered a retaining wall of layered stones, another great subject for the assignment.

Today's assignments provided the perfect lessons for me:

• reminding me to look around, keeping my open to the inspiration around me all the time
• not to get my mind so set on one goal that I can't see the beauty closer at hand
• to let go of the need for perfectionism that can paralyze me with fear and enjoy the lessons that come from the attempt and even those that come from failure
• to enjoy the journey and have faith that by trying and participating my skills will be developed

I've been looking for an opportunity to post this song for over a week now, so I'm glad I finally found an excuse (pictures of the horizon - a song called "Horizon.)  Sometimes my mind is very literal in its translation.

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Love

I'm in love.

I'm in love with the Genius button on my iPod.  It made the most amazing playlist for me today.

On Monday I hit shuffle and then a few songs in got stuck on "Gravity" by Sara Bareilles.  I must have listened to the song 5 times.

Today during my commute I pulled the iPod back out and "Gravity" was still playing, but this time I hit the genius button, and look at the amazing messages I found in the music I listened to on the way to work.

Here I am and I stand so tall

I'm just the way I'm supposed to be

I don't know what I've done
Or if I like what I've begun
But something told me to run
And honey you know me it's all or none

 Everything's falling, and I am included in that
Oh, how I try to be just okay

I asked God who I'm supposed to be.
The stars smiled down on me, 

God answered in silent reverie. 

I said a prayer and fell asleep.

Afraid to see that she's lost her direction
She never stays the same for long
Assuming that she'll get it wrong
Perfect only in her imperfection

An entire commute full of beautiful music with lovely lyrics that kept me going all day long. Pin It

Bella

I just watched the most beautiful movie, Bella. It's a love story, just not in the traditional sense. There is a boy and a girl, but the love goes beyond them to the bonds of love that hold families and even strangers together.

If you are looking for something besides the summer popcorn movies, something to increase your faith in the world, this is the movie for you.

If anyone knows where you can get the soundtrack to the movie let me know - it is amazing. I was able to find several of the songs. The first song over the credits is by one of my favorites, Rachael Yamagata, "Meet Me By The Water." The second credit song is by Jon Foreman (a new discover thanks to the film), "My Love Goes Free."



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