Life In Limbo

Inspiration | July 18

July 18, 2014

Elise’s Make29 product for July is copper foil prints and they look so awesome.

I started listening to this playlist last night while doing some yoga and I think it’s the perfect calm collection of songs. I was thinking “yes!” with every song that played.

I saw this video of pets interrupting yoga on the recommendation of a commenter this week and laughed out loud almost the whole time. So funny, and it reminds me of my pets.

I’m not a fan of the sensationalist title, but there were some very thought-provoking photos in this article.

World Domination Summit looks like it was so incredibly cool, and the photography was so well done.

I really really love the color/colour blog. It’s a collection of different photos, each with a specific colour as the focus.

I watched this documentary about North Korea last weekend and I learned so much, it was very well done.

Two Instagram accounts I’ve been loving lately: @teekigram – a yoga pants company with a lot of soul – and @jenniferelizabeth_ – a Canadian living in England with gorgeous photos.

Some oldies but goodies: this time last year I was en route to Paris (I could really use a falafel right now, please!), my list of the best things in 2011 (surprisingly still accurate).

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I can barely believe that it’s July 18th. My closest friend in Korea, Dylan, is leaving in a little over 2 weeks, but this is his last full weekend in Busan because of his summer vacation. It’s crazy, because it means almost 5 months have gone by since I arrived in Korea (!!) and definitely bittersweet. We have lots of things planned: lots of time spent on the beach, karaokeing, exploring Korea, and of course going to our favourite spa. I’m looking forward to it. Happy weekend everyone!

24 Before 24: My First Sale!

July 17, 2014

When I made my 24 before 24 list, I included a few things that, truthfully, I had no idea how or when I would accomplish. “Make business cards” might sound easy to do, but it becomes much harder when you don’t have any idea what your professional life is going to look like a year from now. The incredibly vague “Sell something I make” was on the list because it’s been a dream of mine to be a small business owner for a few years now, but when I wrote it down it was more of a pipe dream. I didn’t necessarily expect to accomplish it, because I had no idea what I would make, what I could sell, or how I could sell it. It was on the list because it represented a step in the direction of how I wanted my life to look. I couldn’t necessarily picture it happening, but I knew it was the kind of thing I wanted to work towards.

Well all I can say is thank goodness for goal setting. It’s the way I push myself to experience new things, work harder, and explore the world. Setting big goals and working towards them one tiny step at a time is how I end up growing as a person. Every step of the way I learn a little more. I’ve been trying to make my motto ABL: Always Be Learning.

The other night, after a rainy, so-so day, right before I went to bed, I got the above notification on my phone. I won’t be able to explain the feeling, but I’ll try: joy mixed with shock, disbelief, happiness and gratitude. I did a crazy-looking happy dance in my apartment while smiling like a fool.

This is the first time I’ve sold one of my photos, and it is one of the best feelings in the world. I joked to my friends last night “Well, that’s it! I’ve made it! Anything on top of this is bonus.” In a way I’m kidding, because I do hope the shop continues to grow, change, and continue to be successful, but on the other hand I’m not kidding. I feel very proud, and I’ve achieved something that’s worth pausing to appreciate. The sale means more to me than just earning money – it also represents that I have something to offer that others might enjoy. It means this could actually be something I could pursue in some small way. It really means so very much to me.

Thank you for your support and kind words over the last few days! I truly appreciate it. I’m on the moon!

If you haven’t yet had a chance to check out my new travel photography shop, you can see all the photos I’m offering by clicking right here.

Photo Walk: Red

July 16, 2014

There’s a lot I love about going on photo walks in the summertime. The weather is great, the lighting is perfect, and all the wildlife is in full bloom. When it’s too hot to go for a run but too beautiful of a day to stay indoors, a photo walk is an excellent compromise. I usually meander around with a theme in mind, snapping pictures while listening to music or (more likely) a podcast. I’m wondering if it counts as moving meditation, though I doubt it because of the listening-to-a-podcast part. Either way, it feels kind of meditative, because I’m not thinking, I’m just looking for something and then taking its picture.

I’m hoping to do a rainbow of photo walks over the course of the next several months, so it was only natural to start with red. While each individual photo isn’t overly special, I absolutely love them together as a set. I feel like making a mosaic out of them!

This is a really fun way to practice my photography and get inspired. I love walking out into the world and noticing things I never had before, just because they’re a certain colour or pattern. It’s like by focusing on just one little thing, I’m able to see so much more than I might otherwise.

You can see all my other photo walks here.

I Donated My Voice

July 15, 2014

Last week after Laura and I recorded the Feminism 101 episode of our podcast, she sent me a link to an article about a new initiative the Canadian Women’s Foundation has started regarding sex trafficking in Canada. They’re calling for people to donate their voices in order to tell the stories of victims who are unable to speak for themselves because they are ashamed or because they fear violence against themselves or their families. The campaign asks for other people to donate their own voices in order to tell these stories out loud.

The foundation has made three professionally-done ad spots that are extremely moving, to say the least. You can watch all three (about 30 seconds each) here. Their website has a recording function for you to quickly and easily donate your own voice anonymously, shot in black and white. They have a selection of stories on their website that you can choose from to record.

I think this campaign is extremely smart and very powerful. The cause itself is so important, because this issue is so horrifying. It’s true that these girls are unable to tell their own stories or advocate for themselves, because they’re in situations we can’t imagine (or don’t want to). I think it’s so wonderful (and clever) that the Canadian Women’s Foundation has found a way to crowdsource in order to spread awareness.

I was moved to donate my own voice, which you can see in the clip above. I memorized the short paragraph because I felt it would be respectful to spend a little time internalizing the story. I also recorded it a few times to make sure I was delivering the words in the most respectful way I could.

It’s almost unfathomable, Emma’s story (along with all the others on the website), and it’s hard to really engage with because it’s so upsetting. But of course, as upsetting as it was for me, there’s a little girl out there living that horrible reality and so I think we all owe her and others like her our attention, support and respect. I feel so very lucky that the story I read in the video is not my own, but I know that these girls are just as innocent and undeserving as I am.

I also made a donation to the foundation to help them to continue with their important work. If you don’t feel comfortable recording a video but are inspired to contribute, you can donate here.

PS. This year I’ve been making a conscious effort to donate my time and money to charity at least once per month. If you’re curious to learn more about the organizations I’ve chosen to support, you can find information about them here.