Woven by Words

Saturday, January 4, 2014

One Thing I Wish I Knew: f/Stop

I love photography. I love what cameras can do. I love those fancy high powered DSLR cameras! What I don’t love is me not understanding their amazing functions.

Of course, photos don’t just make themselves. The person behind the view finder is really who creates the images we see. They understand the way their camera works. Lighting, lenses, depth of field, etc. They know what their camera is capable of.

Me, I put it on manual and push the shutter button. Picture taken.

What the heck is an Aperture Priority? What is an f/stop? Ok, those questions are rhetorical. I’ve read about them on several occasions. Mmmmmm I sort of read about them. I’m more of a hands on learner. When I read about this kind of stuff my brain goes numb. I mean, why the LOWER the number, the WIDER the hole that the light comes through? I know there’s a mathematical equation involved in figuring it out. That’s probably the start of the problem. Math is involved.

As much as my son’s brain goes numb reading a book, I can barely finish a sentence when it’s talking equations and there are numbers included.

I really want to learn what Depth of Field is as well. I mean, that’s something I can do manually and practice over time. So cool to see pictures with a bright gorgeous butterfly on a flower with a blurred background. I’ve done it before, I just want to know and understand how to do it intentionally!

The person behind the camera either has an eye for good shots or doesn’t. I take pictures, not photographs. lol Yes, in my lameness I differentiate. My pictures are just sad snapshots. I don’t really have an eye for setting up a shot. I’m not dissing myself, don’t get me wrong. I’m just saying there’s a comparison of the way people take pictures.

I have been considering for years of taking a photography class. I figure hands on training is how I learn so maybe a community college course or something through the parks & rec would be a good way to go. It would be so cool to have someone show me what I’m doing right and what I’m doing wrong. Something to look into!

What is one thing you wish you knew?

Friday, January 3, 2014

Advice From My Mom

Well, I’d love to say that I have some amazing words of advice that was passed on to me from my mom or dad. Some sage wisdom that’s been handed down from generation to generation. I don’t. This will be a short post. hahahaha

Growing up, we had very little. My parents weren’t so great with their money and I “inherited” their bad financial gene. So, what life long words did she impart to me? “Marry rich so you can have a maid.” hahahahahaha Yep. Not only am I not a financial wizard, I’m also not a tidy and organized person.

Now, I can easily say I’d never marry a man for his money, nor would I go searching for such a person. Money “can” make some things in life easier, but I don’t think money can make it better. Marrying a man will come with love and respect, not the amount of money in his bank account.

Did your family pass on any words of wisdom or advice?

Thursday, January 2, 2014

A Word To Live By In 2014: Authentic

As I said in yesterday’s blog post, I want to be more connected with the people I’ve lost touch with this past year. So, the word I’m going to go with to live by this next year is:

I want to have more personal posts like I said in my last writing prompt I did last month and I want to be on Twitter engaging more and not just spamming my stream with other bloggers’ posts, something I never thought I’d do! I’ve lost my voice with all of my busyness. I want my Twitter stream to be more me than it was this past year.

While my sponsored posts fit into my life and have real life interaction with the products, I have a goal to engage with my readers more with personal non-sponsored posts. I’d also like to install a new commenting option. I want to be able to respond to comments and with the basic Blogger comment box, it’s not really “conversation” friendly!

Do you have a word you plan on living by this next year? If so, I’d love to know it!

Writing Prompts:

1.) Share any blogging tips you picked up in 2013…what are your blogging goals for 2014?
2.) Choose a theme word to live by for 2014 and tell us why you chose it.
3.) Share your top 12 blog posts from 2013.
4.) Look back at the resolution you made last year at this time, how did you do?
5.) How did you bring in the New Year?

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Getting Back On Track…With Everything

After getting my job last year on Christmas Eve, I started the new year off diving into learning about working in social media. We had just moved and I was getting my boys settled into their new schools, learning to live with my parents again, and adjusting emotionally to being away from home. The start of last year I ended up taking an unexpected sabbatical from my social media life.

Towards the end of last year, more specifically last month, I tried getting into Twitter more often and got a couple of personal posts up on my blog. I’m determined to do much more of that this year.

Financially, I need to get more organized with my blogging expenses and income! I have a feeling this is NOT going to be a good year for my taxes. Fred got me a receipt scanner for Christmas so I’ll hopefully keep track of everything better. Ugh, with my ADD, I wouldn’t count on it, but maybe he’ll help me by reminding me when I do events or things blogging related to get it into my computer! I have to figure how much I can make without paying taxes out the nose.

Personally, this will be the year that I make some really big decisions. Fred and I have been together for almost a year and a half and physically together for a year now (not living together, just proximity). I know he and I will be making some big choices in regards to our relationship. After being through my past relationships, I have a lot to move past, mainly in the area of trust. We have had a rough last half of the year. Relationships aren’t the easiest waters to navigate.

Lastly, in the area of fitness…meh, I don’t have goals necessarily for that. My mom got me a treadmill for Christmas and I built a desk on the handles so that I can work and walk. I went from walking about 3 miles on the days I worked at Menards to about 20 feet from my bed to the couch. Let me tell you, my body has felt the changes and it hasn’t been good. Starting tomorrow, once the boys are in school, I’ll be on the treadmill off and on during the school day. We only have one room for the 3 of us to congregate in so when I’m on the treadmill, they can’t hear the tv. I also have to remember to not get so focused on my work that I forget to walk and go flying off the treadmill. That’s my biggest concern. If I forget, the wall and I will become close buddies!