I have to admit that this post isn’t the easiest to write… not because of nostalgia or my usual sentimentalities, but because I’ve been a little bit grumpy lately. Yes, me. I’ve been a lot grumpy, actually. It’s the week after Christmas, which for some reason is always such a kind of strangely lethargic time and a bit depressing; it’s cold outside and I can’t seem to bring myself to want to love the outdoors like I normally love to do… and of course it’s the end of the year! And I think, “where in the heck did the year go? how did I let time slip by so fast? did I make the most of it? holy sh** it’s almost tax time again!” Every year, The Stranger does its “regrets” issue, which is actually one of the best issues of the year… and, as much as I hate to admit it, even though I want to live my life with no regrets… (is it the same for everybody?) I go through this melancholic mood swing full of regrets about what “should” have been done.

Am I alone in this? Can you, my friends & readers, relate? Do you feel me?

So… I’ll just put it out there.
My list of regrets from 2010:

-I regret that I did not become more housewifely like I promised.
-I regret that I often did work after 3pm like I promised myself I wouldn’t.
-I regret that in fact, I did sometimes take my anger & disparities on the people around me.
-I regret that this year, as other years, I never did truly learn how to forgive.
-I regret that my mental lists never made it on paper, and inevitably never reached their destiny!
-I regret that—although already 32—I have yet to reach my pinnacle of self-confidence.

To counteract my regrets, however, I will post photos from almost all of my shoots this year, as well as some personal shots. And I hope that with these photos, I am able to give a little light into the things that I learned, the things that I gained, and the things that I will never hold any regret for…

love, art, friendship, growth, triumph, understanding, unity, family, self-worth, selflessness, creativity, joy, more art. And more love…

Happy New Year to all of my friends, new & old… I wish a year full of new beginnings, adventures, friendships… for you and for me, and maybe even for the both of us together.

]]> http://www.calimaportraits.net/blog/2010/12/2010-revisited-seattle-photographer/feed/ 6 http://www.calimaportraits.net/blog/2010/12/brad-karyn-expecting/ http://www.calimaportraits.net/blog/2010/12/brad-karyn-expecting/#comments Thu, 16 Dec 2010 23:31:19 +0000 admin http://www.calimaportraits.net/blog/?p=1439 Once again, I get to photograph the maternity & newborn portraits of one of my wedding couples! It’s all cyclical, I know… but it’s still fun to know that I am creating these lasting relationships with my families that start when they say I do, and maybe, hopefully, will continue on until their children get married, or even their children’s children, and all the momentous occasions in between! Imagine how great… me hobbling around with my ancient camera & a cane!

This photo shoot is actually even extra special because not only did I photograph Brad & Karyn’s wedding, but I also was the photographer at her sister Kathryn’s wedding a couple of years prior, and… wait for it… they are both pregnant!!! Due only a few weeks apart from each other! And with boys!!! At this point, I think I’m practically family, but boy, do I get all giddy knowing that I get to be such a special part of such a fun time in their lives!

love love love!

I just realized that this entire post was created with sentences that ended in an exclamation point… what can I say?! I’m excited! And so happy for you, Brad & Karyn (and also Kathryn & the rest of your family!)… congratulations!!!