January 6, 2011 - Epiphany

I've been putting off using the orange cat for my daily photo, but obviously I ran out of nighttime photo ops fairly quickly. This is a stray that we were feeding outdoors for several months before Dave brought him into the garage when the nights got too cold. Krissy is having to learn to deal with him...slowly.
I've really wanted to have another cat, but Krissy is so afraid that we didn't see how she would accept another cat, even though she's also lonely when we're both at work. This cat is so gentle and easygoing, he may be the ONE cat that will eventually get Krissy to accept him. What are the chances the right cat would show up at the right time? I'm grateful.

January 5, 2011 - New opportunities

Today I accepted a new assignment at work (which doesn't start until after we meet the deadline for what I'm doing now). It will be my second new assignment in six months - after working on the same project for six years before that. It's a really good match for my experience and I think it will be a positive change.

I'm continuing to struggle with balance now that I'm back to work. Photography was literally out the window - the car window, while I was waiting at a light, going to the vet's for medicine. At least one out of ten was reasonably interesting. I guess having to find time for everything does mean I am forced to try "nontraditional" photo opportunities like this. I didn't manage much exercise today - just 10 minutes of walking. I'm still sore from Monday's 15 minute workout! So go the resolutions...such as they are. Fortunately, I promised when I became a Secular Franciscan to pray morning and evening, so at least THAT stays.

January 4, 2011 - Jury duty

Spent the day at the county judicial center for jury duty. Despite the fact that it was a VERY cold day, we bundled up tonight and went to the bike club's evening walk - counting the leader, there were three of us tonight. Once we were moving, it really wasn't bad (at least not with the layers I was wearing). When we got back from the walk, I decided I liked the look of the sculpture at the entrance to the St. Charles Library. So here it is.

January 3, 2011 - back to work

It's harder to find time for a photo between work and getting home to take a cat to the vet. This is Christmas lights in the courtyard at work. I liked the blur in this one better than my other attempt.  I can almost pretend the fuzziness is intentional!

At this time of year, so many of us are trying to be more disciplined. I went to the gym today, too (just for 15 minutes of weights - 15 more than I've done in the past six months). I know, most resolutions are gone in a few weeks...these aren't resolutions (exactly). They are attempts to balance the things I WANT to do with the things I HAVE to do...and without practice, I won't improve.

January 2, 2011 - last day of vacation

I go back to work tomorrow, so we went to our favorite restaurant, Giordano's, tonight. Their specialty is stuffed pizza...yum.

It's been great to have ten days off from work, even though returning to work tomorrow will be a bit of a shock - I hope I'm ready to face the challenges ahead.

Happy New Year!

(Again, this was mis-posted yesterday, so I am moving it here a day later.)

We belong to the Fox Valley Bicycle and Ski Club (www.fvbsc.org). One of their traditions is a January 1st bike ride, regardless of the weather. Today it was dry but COLD...in the low 20s at ride time (at most) with a 25 mile-per-hour wind. I chose NOT to ride under those conditions (though I did walk for the whole time the ride was going on), but ~10 people in the club did ride. The photo above is Dave (my husband) setting out to ride home afterwards.

Starting anew

(I originally posted this on New Year's Eve...but on the other blog I manage. I am deleting this and my New Year's Day posting from that blog and moving them here.
)

It's New Year's Eve, 2010. It's been quite a year, especially the past few months. I've had major trips planned with my mom every year starting in 2004, but since Mom passed away on our final trip to Arizona this fall, I don't know what I'll be doing for 2011. The next year will be a time of change, that's all I can be sure of.

However, I have decided to at least try the discipline of committing myself to taking a photo a day. (This is a fairly standard photographic goal - one place that documents it is http://content.photojojo.com/tutorials/project-365-take-a-photo-a-day/. The photo above is just a starting point - I was out this afternoon and it was relatively warm, so I took a walk and liked this bramble at Ferson Creek Fen.

I plan to post my photos on the blog, as I did when I tried this for Lent 2009. We'll see how it goes.

Happy New Year!