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{colorado professional headshot photography : writer, john lilley}

13 Jul

hey gang!

i just wanted to share a few headshots from a recent session with my new client, john.  we met somewhat serendipitously when i was working for aspen ski resort last winter. john was going for a laid-back “brooklyn vibe” in his headshot session with me, and i think he embodied that quite well!

john is a talented freelance consultant, writer, and blogger.  check him out here.  we wandered the little town of carbondale, chasing light and looking for the perfect “new york city” type background.  i’m grateful john was up for the adventure – sometimes it can be hilarious to tag along with me on a shoot…

here are a few of my favourite shots :

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johnlilleyheadshots-web-107 Continue reading

{astrology update : mercury enters gemini}

18 Jun

hey gang, how’s your mercury retrograde treating you?

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mercury retrograding in cancer teaches us this…

we are almost half way through the cycle… and now mercury has left the sign of cancer and entered his home sign of gemini…

so what does this mean?  — well, the last week or so may have presented you with issues to deal with, revisit, resolve, etc. in the following themes : home, roommates, intuition, nostalgia, mother/mother figure, childhood, emotions, security needs… these are some key themes of the sign of cancer.  perhaps you made the decision to move or make renovations in your home?  perhaps a past project came up that needed tweaking or you had an “epiphany” regarding something from your past. you may have learned to trust your intuition more, or to learn to come to terms with some emotions you are feeling… MR in cancer offers an opportunity to revisit, rework, and release in these areas of our lives… and with the full moon energy last week, this period has had amplified energy to support it, as well…

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now mercury is continuing his backward travel through the sign of gemini – which is where his “home” is.  for the next couple weeks we can expect to see our thoughts shift into the themes that gemini represents.  these include talks, short trips, local activities, brothers/sisters, electronics, vehicles, writing, the internet, and anything else that involves connecting or communicating.  mercury LONGS to connect, and when he is in the sign of gemini, he has the most success in doing so.  however, since he is retrograding in this sign, we can expect to see our thoughts become more introspective.  we may want to get other people’s advice or opinions on the current relevant matters in our lives.  we may revisit a writing project or rework a trip we had planned.  any vehicle or electronic issues may arise to be addressed {sorry, that IS one of the bummers about this period – i hope you backed up your computer recently!} and/or we may find people from the past showing up again to rework, reclaim, or revise a situation.  there is great opportunity during MR periods… it’s like taking a mulligan 😉

mercury retrograde periods get a bad rap – but i believe it’s because we don’t generally UNDERSTAND what they are for… and we don’t properly harness the energy presented during these times, so many of us are left feeling frustrated and wondering what happened.  which is ironic because that is precisely what mercury retrograde longs to be – UNDERSTOOD!  i can’t tell you how many times a day i catch myself thinking or saying “i just wish {that person} understood how i felt.” you may catch yourself using some of my catchphrases lately – like, “did that make sense?” or “i just want to explain it so you can understand…” or “that came out the wrong way, let me rephrase that…” or “wait, i didn’t mean to say that…”

astrology doesn’t MAKE stuff happen… it can’t cause events. but time and time again i find validity in the movements and study of the planets and their behaviour.  being natal mercury retrograde, i have a unique and tremendously accurate understanding of how this planet’s movements effect our lives in a major way.  perception is EVERYTHING in life – and it can be to our benefit or to our detriment.  this has been my biggest lesson during this current MR period.  i guess it all goes back to being true to who you are.  we are not all the same – we are very uniquely different.  but i believe that the ways in which we are the same can bring us together and allow us to be ourselves, as individuals… if we could just simply change the way we look at things – at life.

every puzzle piece has importance, significance, and relevance – we just don’t and CAN’T all have the same design, function, or purpose – we must each bring our own individual strengths to the group, the collective, the puzzle itself.  and we should never try force a puzzle piece to change its shape… we simply can’t. and besides, then it wouldn’t fit in the puzzle, anyway – you dig?!

thank you for reading, and for your support – it means the world to me!  and please let me know any thoughts you have or feelings you wish to share… i love hearing from you!  and don’t forget, i also am available for hire to conduct natal astrology interpretations.

 

 

{it’s my holiday – mercury retrograde!}

7 Jun

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mercury went retrograde in cancer today… for three weeks we can expect to see our thoughts become more reflective and introspective.  a few of the key themes will be home, renovations, real estate, roommates, moves, security needs, childhood, intuition, emotions, mother/mother figure, and creativity.

as you may recall from my previous rants, mercury was the messenger god in greek mythology… he “presides” over the following themes in our lives : communication, travel, electronics, writing, thought-processes, transportation, and the like.  he longs to communicate and relate.  he was the figure responsible for communicating messages to the “mortals” from the “gods” – what a job, huh?!  try communicating with a bunch of people who don’t “speak your language” … it can be quite challenging.

this time, mercury is retrograding in the sign of cancer.  and cancer is ruled by the moon, by our emotions.  cancer represents things like our security, home, family, and intuition.  what makes this particular mercury retrograde interesting is that the moon will be housed in it’s ruling sign, cancer, during this transition, as well… that means a WHOLE LOT OF ENERGY under one roof!  my advice is to expect the unexpected.  trust your gut – listen to that voice inside that speaks softly to you; it’s nudging you one way or another… and sometimes we have to surrender and let go of what we feel is “safe,” in order to open up to a whole new world…

as i’ve mentioned, i was born with natal mercury retrograde in my astrological chart.  these time periods {occurring about 3-4 times a year for approximately 3-4 weeks at a time} tend to make me feel extra good.  for one, i feel more like my “authentic self” and less like i’m trying so hard. i feel more articulate, open, and creative.  this is particularly true this morning.

i have had a weird couple of weeks over here and this morning i woke up feeling different… and i welcome good change.

now – to see where this energy takes me…

———

by the way, i am available for hire as an astrologer.  i specialize in conducting accurate birth chart interpretation and would love to help you on your way to understanding YOU a little better… 🙂  

email me if you are interested!  

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{sunday brunch for judi – and a very happy mothers day to EVERY WOMAN out there!}

11 May

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i miss my mama.  today and all week. i’ve missed her since april 14th of the year 1993.  this time of year is hard for me – i won’t sugar coat that. sometimes randomly, i’ll think of something that reminds me of her and it will be hard. it never gets easier. however, i find comfort when i spot a penny on the ground, or when i catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and do a “double take” because i look so much like her… and i find great comfort in knowing that i am now living in her favourite part of the world.  she was absolutely in love with these rocky mountains – and it’s an honor to live here… for her and for me.

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if my sweet mother judi were alive today – i would make her this simple and amazing brunch… which i’ve been eating every day for like a month now. i buy the ingredients from a local store here in town and it’s all organic, fresh, and farm-grown – you know, like how REAL FOOD SHOULD BE!!!! 😀

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sunday brunch for judi : 

– farm fresh organic eggs

– asparagus

– cippolini onions

– garlic

– bacon cubes

– colourful cherry tomatoes

– herbed goat cheese

– fresh fingerling potatoes

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this dish is perfect for one – what with my cute little ramekins and all… but i do have a second one, and would love NOTHING MORE today than to be cooking for my mama and using the other one.

i lined the bottom of my ramekin with avocado slices, to start… Continue reading

{a personal post : something about a rainbow}

14 Apr

Matt and Emily's Wedding

thinkin’ about my mama today… can’t believe it’s been 21 years!

something about a rainbow gives me so much comfort… maybe they make me think of my mom, or maybe they remind me of that bible verse i liked when i was a kid, or maybe the scientist in me finds them truly fascinating… and maybe, they just provide a sense of peace somehow – a beautiful reminder that everything is going to be okay… a reminder that after the storm and after the rain, there’s always a

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{a personal post – HSP}

5 Apr

hey gang.  hope you’re enjoying the weekend.

i unfortunately have not been sleeping very well at all this week and am extremely tired and worn out.  i look forward to resting this weekend, and doing not much of anything else…

my brain has been on overdrive, due to this lack of sleep and i’m sure a hundred other physiological aspects that come along with it… and i’ve just been in a lousy headspace today. when i don’t sleep well for several days, i can’t function.  as i’ve mentioned in the past, i’ve battled with insomnia for most of my adult life. i’ve found ways to “cope” but ultimately it’s an ongoing process.  sometimes things keep me awake, sometimes i just don’t sleep well. it just depends. point is, today my brain is so tired and yet it’s trying so desperately to think, that it’s focusing on stupid crap.

however – it did get me thinking and researching more about a term i’ve been familiar with but hadn’t thought about much until a friend mentioned it the other day.

HSP – Highly Sensitive Person.

google it, it’s a very real thing. even oprah talked about it on her show once, so the mainstream is accepting it, as well. and, wouldn’t you know – i, myself, am an HSP. Continue reading

{happy anniversary, food & foto!}

25 Mar

celebrating two years of nom-noming and click-clicking!

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thank you – all one thousand and twenty-eight of you! {as it stands, as i write this…}

i am inspired by you, encouraged by you, and grateful for and to you. i am already doing a giveaway in honour of you… but in honour of food & foto’s anniversary, i’ve decided to up the ante.  i’ll be giving away TEN prints by the end of april!  stay tuned…

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this blog has been one of the healthiest things i could’ve done for myself.

i want to take this time to thank my friend michele for encouraging and inspiring me to start writing and posting about my passion{s}.  the simplest gesture like just saying, “you should start a food blog…” has taken me to places that i may not have ever dreamed of going.

🙂  xxoo

 

{a community post : who is my “health hero” – and please don’t think i’m egotistical}

24 Mar

how is everyone doing?  i hope your week is off to a beautiful start.  i have been feeling SO GOOD with the change in seasons rapidly approaching, and the evening light sticking around longer.  i just feel so much better when spring gets here.  i do believe i sometimes feel “SAD” – you know, “Seasonal Affective Disorder” – that is a definite real thing.  it was so dark and cold this winter {especially for colorado} and i struggled on some days to even get out of bed.

i received an email recently, asking if i wanted to participate in a new campaign on a new site that is dedicated to offering simple information regarding all things health-related. i tend to be a little hesitant with stuff like that, but after researching the company, i realized that it falls in line with my own values and so i was happy to connect with them.

american recall center is running a campaign titled “who is your health hero?” and i’ve been asked to write a post about just that. so, here we go…

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this is where the second part of my blogpost title comes in – i am my own health hero.

Continue reading

{“stray cats” – a special sunday post}

23 Mar

so – pretty much everyone knows that i used to live in new york city for about 3 years… part of me is {no doubt} still there, and always was and will be.  i miss it every day, but i have to trust my heart that i left when i was supposed to leave. the memories i made there were so special, so irreplaceable, and so life-changing that i reflect on my experiences often.  in fact, i know that i need to start writing more about them.

aside from being an old soul, i’ve always enjoyed the company of older people… even when i was young, most of my friends were older than me. when i was in manhattan, i lived with a spry, lively, hilarious sagittarius who was more than twice my age, and we were the best of friends.  don’t misunderstand – she could keep up with any 30-something i knew! i often don’t speak of her directly, nor do i of many of my friends, out of respect for their privacy.  however, this week i just had to post something in honour of the news i received from my former roommate in NYC.

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this foto was taken in 2010 at our favourite spot, quigley’s, which is now closed. we frequented “quig’s” at least once a week, sometimes more – depending on fun events like mardis gras.  it was like our own personal “cheers” – everyone knew our name. the lady across from me in the foto is my lovely former roommate and still very close friend… we’ll call her “JG”.  the gentleman next to her is the quintessential new-yorker with the best sense of humour.  the gentleman behind me just lost his battle with cancer this week. his wife, behind him, recently had the same fate last year. i like to refer to them as the “IRISH” – because they are.

these people had a HOUSE in my heart.  not just a room, a house.  the couple that lost their lives to cancer were like family to me. quite literally – they invited JG and i over for every holiday dinner. most of JG’s family didn’t live in NYC, and obviously none of mine did either.  after a while, it became a running joke to call us “the stray cats” because we would just wander over for dinners, as they always invited us and made us feel like family.  the IRISH had a home business and they even hired me to take some fotos for their marketing.  these people were just so special to me.  when i found out about MISTER IRISH’s death, a part of my heart died, too.  that may sound morbid, but that’s how special these people were to me.  i never got sick of hearing stories about how they fell in love, or how much they remembered about the city changing, or how they knew about the “best little bakery in town” — or just their warm, kind, open, and loving spirits. it chokes me up to think about how special the IRISH’s are/were and just how blessed i am to have met them and been so immersed in their lives {and vice versa}.

things i miss most : morning paddle tennis games with a cup of coffee from the bodega downstairs, long chats in the living room with evening light drenching all the furniture, my endlessly-full wine glass, their amazing taste in art – particularly that italian painting above the kitchen table – i was obsessed with it!!!… what i’ll miss most is the way i felt whenever i left their presence… just so enriched!

so, in honour of the IRISH family, and my lovely former roommate JG – i bought these simple and gorgeous magenta carnations… they are JG’s favourite flowers.  i’d often buy them for her, since there are flower shops on every corner in new york. yesterday i bought them in honour of her, as well.  she stayed by IRISH’s side in his last days, and told him “the stray cats love you” — that meant a lot to me, since i couldn’t be there to say goodbye.  i also love carnations because they may be the ‘bottom of the totem pole” when it comes to flowers, but they last so long and they smell incredible and they will remind me of all the amazing memories i had in NYC with IRISH and JG.

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heaven has another angel… and i know he’s being greeted with endless amounts of love.

thank you for reading.  have a beautiful sunday – and just please go out and share a little love… with the ones you love, and even with the ones you don’t.  the world just needs more of it.

xxoo