All photos and content © Tanya Anguita.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive #61 -- 3/16/11




Remembering to find things to be positive about feels a little tough right now. They feel a little hard to come by. And yet, they're there. I know they are. They're right here, even.

You see, I'm sitting here, having just watched a few miraculous videos of a handful of lucky survivors of the Japanese quake and tsunami being reunited. I'm crying like a baby.

I've been consumed by the videos, photos, and news media of this tragic example of Mother Earth's might, and am reeling still with the shock of it all. In addition, there is the ongoing fear that is walking hand in hand with the state of the nuclear plants there.

Plus there is the fear that is instilled in me that California could very easily be next. We're overdue for a huge quake here, by some large number of years it seems, and frankly, we are ill prepared for it.

That tsunami was 4 stories tall and went SIX MILES inland. The quake moved the island of Japan 8 feet and made the planet shift 4 inches on its axis. How do you prepare for something like that? I mean really?

So I'm sitting here after several days of media inundation (even without owning a television), feeling helpless to do much besides send money and finding myself feeling fearful and losing sight of the many, many things I have to be thankful for. Today. Right now. This instant.

I am also reminded that I need to, er no, that I will be putting together survival boxes this week. One for my car, one for work, one for home. Carma told me that in the N.E.R.T. training she did that they said to be sure to put work gloves and garbage bags into the kit which would never have occurred to me but strikes me as brilliant. Onto the list they go.

I suppose some of my weepy, fearfulness comes from the fact that I'm also ill...again. Not badly this time thankfully, just achey, snuffy, mildly sore-throatish and a little listless. At least the mild fever seems to be gone today....which means I'm headed in the right direction. Hooray!

My mild illness is small potatoes in the light of what is going on everywhere else in the world right now, but I do know that it affects my psyche.

So yeah...gratitude. I can haz some now? :) Umyespleez. :)

Without further prattling, today I'm singing my gratitudes as follows:

1) I'm very, incredibly, deeply thankful that I know where my friends and family are for the most part and that for the most part they're doing ok.

2) I am also very, incredibly, deeply thankful for the basic amenities that I so often forget to give thanks for, and yet still try not to take for granted. I have a home (albeit a temporary one) to go to. I have food to eat. I can go to the grocery store and to the pharmacy. I can put fuel in my vehicle or take mass transit easily. Health care is expensive I'm blessed enough to have it. I have an income. I have access to my phone and to computer and to many forms of communication. Truly, I am blessed and thankful.

3) On a frivolous note, I'm taking my first beginning ukulele class tonight. I'm thankful that this is happening and that I can walk there from Katie & Michael's. I'm excited to check this wee instrument out. Hooray for the mighty uke!

4) Holly, who today asked a loaded question and didn't shy away when I gave my equally loaded answers/emotionally barfed at her. Thank you, Holly. Truly. Thank you.

5) Simple pleasures.

6) Buying comfy walking shoes at The Walk Shop so that I can start doing SOME form of exercise again. Selena was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable and I have comfy, comfy shoes on my feet.

7) Renewing my interest in photography in a tangible way. I have actually been shooting almost every day and it feels so good! Did a shoot in the pouring rain for a friend's new website on Sunday, and while it was cold and very wet, it was also very satisfying to find out that she really loves the images. I feel like I have more consistent control over the quality of my images and that feels really good. I still make many mistakes, but, as my friend Deb is fond of saying "progress, not perfection."

8) The inspiration afforded to me by other photographers. These days I follow these blogs because I not only like their work but their voices:

Karen Russell:
My life...just not on the road I expected (but it's still dang good).

Erin Cobb:
The PigBear »

Denise Birdsong-Zavala -- Modern Love Photography:
http://www.modernlovephotography.com/

Jasmine Star:
Jasmine Star Photography Blog

Ashley Ann Photography:
ashleyannphotography.com » Under the Sycamore

Kiss The Groom:
kiss the groom


9) My mostly girl-gang of clicky whee (a strange code phrase for photography fun). Thanks lovely people for photo-geeking with me.

10) Having my ladybug rain boots in the car on Sunday during the photo shoot. Hooray!

Back now from my evening adventures and in a much better mood so let me add these and go to bed:

11) The uke class was fun and quirky. I look forward to more and am very thankful.

12) Taking a brisk 30 minute walk was all that it took to put my head on straighter tonight. I need to remember that. Yes, yes I do. SO thankful for the reminder though. It felt great to move fast and to get my heart rate up.

13) Adobe Lightroom is proving to be the bomb for photography organization and simple processing. Once I get the hang of it I think it will really rock things for me, but even with the steep learning curve, I'm loving it.

14) Knowing when to stop for the night.

Her name is Lilo. :)

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