So many places I'd like to see...

I have a wish list...

...well, I suppose everyone does.

but right now I'm talking about a very specific list in my list of wishes, wants, dreams, determinations...my travel wish list.

There are places I've wanted to go since I was a little girl, and places I've learned about over the years. Places I've never seen, but I ache for in my soul, like a vaguely remembered dream.

and truly, I've managed a few of them so far, but there is so much more I want to see!

I must see England, and Ireland, The Isle of Man, The Outer Hebrides, Patagonia, Australia, Montserrat, Africa, India, Russia, Germany! Savannah, GA, New Hampshire, Maine, The Carolinas, New York City, Boston, Nova Scotia. I want to see the Louvre and go to Southern Spain. I want to walk The Camino de Santiago de Compostela.

Google Earth has been my best friend for virtual "travels" until I am able to make the trips for real. I can "fly" to any city of my choosing. Browse coastlines and cities at my leisure.

Prompt #65: What is on your wish list? or, what places have you've been?

it's all about the Story...

I am on the road again today.

Travelling to Oklahoma City to see my darling soulmate best friend. The passing of her grandmother necessitated an impromptu trip - which I'm happy about because it means I get to see her before Thanksgiving - but it is of course, bittersweet.

So...for today I'm writing less. But also...thinking about the many facets of life. Where are we going? what are we doing? what do you want, need, desire from your life and your choices? one of my favourite bands to listen to and to watch live Flogging Molly. Have a listen.

Prompt #16 - What is your story so far?

~ Remember: leave a comment any time in August

have your name entered in the drawing for a copy of my poetry collection

Three Thousand Doors

two winners will be announced September 6, 2010 ~ 

playing with shadow and light

** Photo copyright KEG

So I think you already know I love to write. and create. and make people laugh. smile. and I love to inspire. motivate. and praise those I find uber talented.

I also love photography. Black and white has always been my favourite, but I'm learning to love taking colour shots as well. I adore light and shadow, though sometimes what I see and what translates through the lens are two totally different things. Take, for instance, this past weekend...

I was visiting a dear friend of mine who lives near Houston. We woke early-ish and ventured out in the "cooler hours" of the morning, parked at the edge of the road, and dragged two red velvet chairs and several children into the middle of a large field. (universal haha on us - 9:00am in Houston is NOT cooler - I actually got a bit of a sunburn in the hour we were outside - WHAT!?)

At one point the children were all off chasing bubbles, and the chairs were empty...I thought, hey, that's a great shot! The shadows and sunlight were playing beautifully off the velvet and wood and so I took a few photos of the empty chairs. Well, let me just say, the shadows were much deeper once I saw the photos on my computer screen.  Not at all the vibrant contrast I was looking for. Sigh.

The point is: sometimes, what we envision for our artistry, and what actually comes through, are completely different. For me, learning to accept that my muse sometimes has a different vision than I do can be a bit of a power struggle. I'm fairly stubborn, which means the body of art sometimes needs to be stubborn-er.
Art, aching to be born, will find a way! Sometimes we just have to sit back and let the muse flow through us and see what is created - rather than forcing the creation of something that may not be ready.

This week - write about your own struggles with shadow and light, composition, structure, arguing with your muse. Or simply write about shadows, light or both.
Happy Creating!

drive me crazy

Actually, it's kind of the opposite - I love a road trip.

Whether by myself or with a friend, long drives are therapeutic and relaxing - hours to think, compose (I have an old mini recorder, given to me by a man I was interviewing for my journalism course,) or stop roadside for the perfect photo opportunity.

I'm a pretty devoted nomad, which makes staying in one place REALLY really tough...lucky for me, my sweetheart is very understanding when it comes to my wanderlust, and he's happy to stay put while I traipse all over the U.S.

This summer, travels include: Dallas, Houston, Austin, my annual Seattle visit (with a nifty detour through North Dakota so I can see my midget) and an Autumn trip to Louisville to take photos of my friend and her family. Somewhere in between all of that I want to figure out how to include a visit to New Orleans, Savannah and Germany. I'm thinking something is going to have to take a back seat and be rescheduled. ugh! really? I can't do it all?

This week, write about your favourite drive. What made it memorable? Or perhaps it wasn't the drive that you found wonderful, maybe it was the destination, the people you met, a perfect sunset, fabulous meal...

Happy Writing! (Happy Driving!)