Snapshot in Time

I am very proud to share this with you! See "Juicy Reds"? That's me!! This marks the very first time I have personally submitted my work to a magazine. I've had other pieces published in the sister publications, but always as a result of being a part of a group submission. This time it's all my own doing! The really nice part is that this publication, which is brand spakin' new is due out January 1st, 2008, which means it's kicking off my new year in the nicest way. If that doesn't set the tone for a new year, I don't know what does.

The other thing that makes me happy is that photography is something I do with my son, as a mother-son thing. We both have similar digital cameras and when my son bought his, I had a moment of sheer bliss discovering that the artistic eye* had indeed been passed down. He's a natural. When you have children, you hope that some small part of you will be visable in them and therefore carried forward in the world. I can't tell you how happy this discover made me.

Anyway, taking photos is something I do for pleasure. I am not serious about it in the same way I am about the other art I do. I just enjoy driving somewhere with my son and looking for beautiful things to shoot. We talk, we laugh and there's a whole lot of "Hey, look at this!" What I like about photography is that it's very much in the moment. When I look at the photos I've shot, each one is a memory we've shared. I love that. Soon he's going to be all grown up and graduated (he's in the middle of grade 11) so these times together are very precious. It's exciting to me that a small fragment of this time will be published in Life Images.

Switching tracks completely, yesterday I got an early Xmas gift. My in-laws give each of us money for Xmas each year (one size fits all) and this year I've used it to buy myself a brand new cell phone. My new baby is a black cherry red LG Chocolate spin phone. It is wonderful! It has a camera in it, plays music, organizes you, and I love that it slides open, rather than flips. It navigates just like an iPod does with a touch sensitive spin wheel. The great part was that the phone company sent me a coupon for $50 off a new phone when I moved and so in the end, it only cost $40. I paid for it with part of my Xmas money, so really, it was FREE! It also came with a great package of features and perks so I am very pleased.

Lest you imagine me to be a cell phone junkie, truely, I am not. My phone is strictly for touching base with my guys and for emergencies-I don't call just to chit chat ever. However, that said, I will confess that I downloaded a ring tone for it yesterday. It's the theme to Indiana Jones and I did it mostly for comedic purposes. You see, I have been in love with Harrison Ford since I was 5 years old. It's a long standing joke between my husband and I. So last night I told him I had downloaded a ringtone for the phone and played it for him. It made him laugh, which was the whole point. *grins* I imagine he's going to laugh every time he hears it ring.

TOMORROW is day 1 of the 12 Days of Xmas Exchange so you'll want to be sure and visit our exchange blog (click the button on the sidebar) and follow along as the magic unfolds. We will be unwrapping gifts for the next 12 days! I can't wait!!

*To view some of my son's photography, visit his photblog, Foto Phreak.