Cool People I Know

The End. And the Beginning.

2008-07-09T15:04:00.003-04:00

Dear Cool People,

Reaching the end of a fulfilling journey always makes me a little weepy, yet eager to depart on a new excursion. My friends, this is the end of Cool People I Know. But the beginning of LittlePurpleCow Photography, my new photography blog. In this new space, I've organized some of my favorite images by category (nature, objects, people and spaces) and created a blog-based "Moment of the Day" series whereby I'll be sharing one or more images each day. I expect to continue to share observations, thoughts, questions, stories and poems to extend the impact of the visuals. I'll continue to seek out cool people and share their images and stories. And I plan to start a new interview series focused on photographers and the stories behind their work.

It feels good to have a focus.

I appreciate you being here so much and have loved getting to you know you in this space. Please join me on this new journey:

http://www.littlepurplecowphotography.com

Much love,
Stephanie

I'm not very good at keeping secrets.

2008-07-08T23:42:00.005-04:00

Things are moving and shaking behind the scenes here, hence my minimalist approach to content in this space as of late. Stay with me. I'm working on something bigger and better and hope you'll follow along. I'm fluffing up the cushions and brewing the coffee for you. Stay tuned...

and check out the latest additions to my Project 365 photo set while you wait. My goodness, I'm nearly at day 200.

From Sea to Shining Sea

2008-07-04T08:56:00.001-04:00

waiting patiently
beneath a blazing sun
seeking...
Lady Liberty

* * *
I took this shot at the South Street Seaport in Manhattan last weekend. Seeing the long line of tourists eagerly await the water taxi for a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty gave me a good feeling. I love this country.

Do share your view of America today.

Cross-posted at Shutter Sisters

Manhattan Texture

2008-06-30T22:43:00.008-04:00

You should know that bits and pieces of my heart are firmly lodged in the streets of Manhattan. And despite the fact that I've happily planted my roots on this here farm 'an all, it's sort of a requirement for me to reconnect with the city that never sleeps to keep my blood pumping. I used to travel to New York fairly regularly for business, but those trips have dwindled since September 11, 2001. And when I do get back to the city, I rarely have time to wander and properly consume the experience enough to reconnect with those missing bits and pieces.

So when two of my girlfriends suggested we fly up for the weekend (read: no work, all play), naturally I forced myself to say yes. Off we went. And although I didn't get to the MOMA on this trip, I did get to...

feel the weight of the World Trade Center site... purchase a pair of cheap sunglasses... shoot up at an erector-set-inspired sculpture of a skyscraper... dine on salmon at the Modern... witness a man-made waterfall installation under the Brooklyn Bridge... walk beneath the red, white and green garland on Mulberry Street... stroll through Central Park and browse on Bleeker Street... covet canvases suspended from string in the Village... laugh from the mezzanine on Broadway... enjoy a martini (okay, maybe two) at the Hudson... wait in line for a cupcake at the Magnolia Bakery... say a prayer at the alter of St. Patrick's Cathedral... dodge bodies in Chinatown... wonder if I should buckle my seat belt on the way to the meat packing district in a yellow cab... and

find those missing bits and pieces.

A Song for Your Heart

2008-06-27T02:15:00.003-04:00

Watching the Grass Grow

Requires patience. . . . . . . . . .
Bunnies and their foodstuff
a real quilt
the sun with shade
and a vacant heart
to be filled
with the song
of God's quietness.

jfrancis
6.26.8

* * *
This beautiful gift slipped into my email inbox this evening like a silent embrace. I don't recognize the sender's email address, but I'm grateful beyond words. JFrancis, thank you for sharing this with me.

Taking Inventory and Searching the Soul

2008-06-24T23:40:00.005-04:00

always grateful -
she answers
I'm blessed

* * *
It's so easy to think about what we lack. What we want. What we think we need. But the reality is, we don't need much. We need love. water. food. sunshine and rain. a place to call home. people we can depend on. hope. faith. As I read Jen Lemen's stories unfolding on her blog from her recent trip to Rwanda, I'm questioning my state of excess but feeling challenged to give up physical gifts I've "earned" and grown to appreciate.

Yes, indeed we are blessed. But how can we be a blessing?

Perspective

2008-06-23T01:10:00.012-04:00

After staying up most of last Thursday night working on a client proposal, I left town with my family in a bit of a cloud on Friday. Frustrated. Tired. Wondering. Spending a weekend away always seems to broaden my perspective, like stepping back to see my life through a wide angle lens. I needed to see that view.

Come read my latest post at Shutter Sisters.

UPDATED: I need your perspective. I'm thinking about changing the layout and focus of this blog a bit. Larger photos. Perhaps a new photo posted each day. Maybe fewer words and links to lend a little more breathing room. I could use the space. What do you think? What should I keep? What can I let go?

Uncovering Tel Aviv: An Interview with Journalist/Blogger Lisa Goldman

2008-06-17T00:00:00.006-04:00

This is the second episode in my new podcast series, Cool People Conversations – a companion to this blog where we get an opportunity to hear from cool people doing fascinating things in interesting places. In this episode, you'll meet Lisa Goldman, Canadian/Israeli freelance journalist and blogger.

You'll hear the story behind the start of Lisa’s blog and her approach to blogging and capturing the realities of life in Tel Aviv, Israel. As a result of her compelling, on-the-street coverage during the Lebanon War in 2006, Lisa's been featured on CNN, the BBC and in the Washington Post in part because of her cross-border connections with Lebanese bloggers and her fresh approach to reporting on life.

Also in this interview (made possible via our mutual friend, Tamar Orvell), Lisa shares the challenges of maintaining a collegial community with readers representing diverse and often opposing perspectives across political, religious vs. secular, and geographical boundaries.

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW

This 30-minute podcast was captured at 7:00am ET via Skype connecting me on a cattle farm in Georgia with Lisa Goldman in the city of Tel Aviv at 2:00pm. Podcast hosting powered by my business, ListenShare.

Photo credit: Lisa Goldman

Eye-to-Eye

2008-06-14T09:59:00.002-04:00

eye-to-eye
fearless bull, rugged and strong
he winks

Fragile Moments of Exposure

2008-06-10T00:02:00.003-04:00

Dr. Robert Nix always wore bow ties to class. Long and lean, he moved with confidence and grace – the gentleman of the fine art department. I loved his class. He taught me how to make photographic images through a pinhole in a box made of wood. Under his direction and encouragement that semester, my love of photography blossomed. He retired a year later. It's hard to imagine that was nearly twenty years ago.

Last Friday we reconnected. I had been looking forward to this visit so much and anticipated grand visions of our exchange. I sent a link to a slideshow of my best images to him prior to my visit in hopes of a thorough critique. I visualized us sitting side-by-side at the computer screen where he (clad in his bow tie) would be pointing and talking and instructing, and I would be listening and taking detailed notes...and...we'd talk about aperture settings and shutter speeds and tricks for tweaking light... and as a result, his aging photography student would find her focus.

But I got so much more – immersing myself in his home for just a few short hours. I met his talented and loving wife, Harriett – a painter and collector of antique dolls and art. I studied sepia-toned portraits of his parents and his parents' parents on the sideboard. We admired his endless stacks of National Geographics and his rare collection of Daguerreotypes and tintypes on the wall. At my insistence, he shared some of his own amazing black and white framed prints packed neatly in boxes below the pool table, down in the basement. I marveled over the texture of his wooded landscape bromoil print and his explanation of this early photographic process. We ventured into his woodworking studio where he demonstrated his circular wood sculpting saw before he gave me a precious blond bowl carved from pear wood. And then he showed me his new Singer in the spare bedroom and introduced me to the art of making bow ties.

Yes, we did sit side-by-side at his computer screen and he did share a very thoughtful critique of my images, but this experience paled in comparison to what he had shared with me that day. Looking back, I realize that I had come to his door in search of confidence. And as we neared the conclusion of our time together, his parting advice gave me just that:

"You've got a great eye. A good heart. And you believe in what you're doing. You don't need anything else."

* * *

Where do you turn for advice? or confidence? Tell us about someone who has influenced your path.

Cross-posted at Shutter Sisters with a photograph he liked from my collection.

Six-Word Memoir

2008-06-05T22:49:00.005-04:00

I discovered SMITH Magazine's brilliant idea for a Six-Word Memoir this morning atop the stairmaster. Writer's Digest featured a link to the site in a spread of the 101 Best Websites of 2008 for writers.

I instantly called up a collection of words and let them roll around in my mind a bit before settling on this six:

She looked up and wanted more.

What's your six-word memoir? Share it in the comments, then explore some fascinating memoir submissions on the SMITH site here.

Spreading Hope & Love to Rwanda: A Conversation with Jen Lemen

2008-06-03T15:17:00.005-04:00

You might be hesitant to put your life on hold... to put a friend and the love she has for her family above your own... to ask for money, support and prayers from a community of people you can't see. You might not craft and self-publish a book of encouragement (in a matter of weeks) for young girls that do not speak your language. No, you might not venture to Africa and find comfort in a modest home made of sticks and mud... redefine your concept of selflessness... or test the limits of your courage. And you likely wouldn't let all of this change the course of your destiny. Would you?

I don't know that I could.

But my friend Jen Lemen did.

I hope you'll listen to the story of her journey to Rwanda. Jen went on a mission to extend the spirit of her dear friend Odette Umurerwa (a native of Rwanda) to Odette's two young daughters, brother, mother and extended family because Odette was unable to go. And having crafted a thoughtful book with Odette, she brought a bit of hope to one thousand school-age girls in remote villages throughout Rwanda. Places where books simply don't exist. I hope you'll listen to this conversation and be blessed by her experience.

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW

Thanks to my business, ListenShare, for providing equipment and hosting to make this possible.

Image of her book cover courtesy of Jen Lemen.

Fit for a Princess

2008-05-30T23:04:00.004-04:00

My slinky shoes are often scattered about the house. "Mommy, will you save ALL of your clothes and ALL of your shoes for me when I grow up?" MiniMe asked.

I recall making a similar request to my mother as I clomped around in her chunky heels, admiring the red bell-bottom pantsuit she sewed for herself as I loaded my limbs with faux treasures in her jewelry box.

I suppose the perfect fit isn't always size-appropriate.

***

We're hosting a photo contest at Shutter Sisters – seeking the perfect fit to your visual definition of the word "fit" for a chance to win a Nintendo Wii Console and the newly released Wii Fit to go with it. Read the submission details and enter your image before June 13. Then leave a link to your submission in the comments so we can cheer you on!

Spotted

2008-05-29T08:19:00.003-04:00

spotted –
on a dishbrush
in the sink
beside a fork
and a sticky plate
butterfly

Such a Gift

2008-05-26T00:38:00.004-04:00

My latest post is up on Shutter Sisters. I hope you'll read it and remember. Then take a dive into the archives and read this thank you note to our American Soldiers on this Memorial Day.

The Perfect Pet

2008-05-24T21:57:00.002-04:00

Strong. Silent. Low maintenance. Bathed in glow-in-the-dark paint and glitter. We set him on the newspaper... ya' know, just in case.

Seen & Unseen

2008-05-19T21:51:00.003-04:00

Funny. I hesitated to take this shot in James' car that day. And when I finished tweaking the colors and contrast that night, I hesitated to upload it to flickr. And after I uploaded it to flickr, I hesitated on the image title field. Then I thought about deleting the image. But the title emerged so clearly for me, just as easily as the image had. Then I thought...

What would people think?
Would someone be offended?
Should I share it freely?

It's been viewed 76 times thus far and it ranks number 13 of most viewed images within my flickr stream of 627 images.

So I've been thinking about the topic of spirituality and wondering why we keep it in a closet. Why do we avoid conversations that lead us in this direction? Why do we hide our views and share them only within our closed circles of religion? I want to know what you believe and why you believe it. I want to discover all the ways that we are the same and appreciate our differences with kindness and respect. I want us to love one another no matter what religion we choose in this world. Is that possible?

Funny. I hesitate to publish this.

Two Words for Jen Lemen & You Beautiful Rwanda Girls

2008-05-16T09:34:00.008-04:00

My soul sister Jen Lemen departs this Sunday on a journey to spread hope, light and love to young girls (and all people in her path) in Rwanda. With her precious Girl Power Africa zines, hope notes and gifts in hand (and heart), she'll share a bit of us in a place where few of us will venture in our lifetime. And while she's there, she'll capture a bit of them to share with us in the form of photos and video. I can hardly wait to experience this journey through Jen's eyes.

Jen, I'm so proud of you. Be safe. Spread joy. Wish big.

On Being Small

2008-05-14T23:38:00.005-04:00

Look at the size of the people in this image. Small. Super small. Significant, yes. But from this perspective... small. I like being reminded of my smallness when things seem so big in my mind. It brings me a sense of peace.

How does this image make you feel?

Dear Pop-Ice People

2008-05-13T00:01:00.007-04:00

Dear Pop-Ice People:

I am your biggest fan. Yes, I am well aware that each plastic sleeve contains nothing more than sugar, sugar flavoring and sugar water. And I am fine with your 20 empty calories in moderation because gosh-darn I sure do LOVE Pop-Ice push pops. I've always loved them. My kids love them. Their friends love them. My husband loves them. If given the opportunity, I'm sure my big brown dog would love them and have no problem fetching them in a frozen state. I like the yellow, but I prefer the green. My daughter likes the pink (naturally). My son likes the red (for the Georgia bulldogs of course) and the blue (because blue is "the boy color").

And so you might be thinking, hey, that's great, another fabulous thank you note from another fabulous fan. We've successfully provided a product with a variety of options to meet the needs of an entire push-pop loving family – one of the few families on this planet who have yet to migrate to all-organic product consumption in eco-friendly packaging. Isn't that great?!

And yes, that would great. To be able to swing open my freezer door at the height of the blogging hours and to simply select the green or the yellow depending on my whim. Yes, wow, that would be great...

But...

my husband likes the green. Which would be fine, but I prefer the green. And it really wouldn't be a big problem if he consumed the family member daily quota during spring and summer seasons, but the big man bogeys most nights. So. This presents a bit of a problem because I'm left more often than not with the yellow... and the WHITE?! Who came up with white? I have to imagine that most adults would choose the green or the yellow over the white. And I am nearly certain that most kids would choose just about any color over the white, so please consider replacing the small quantity of whites in your 100 count package for a few extra greens.

Sincerely,

Your 38 year-old Consumer

Dodging Mother Nature

2008-05-12T03:12:00.003-04:00

Follow me to Shutter Sisters to read my latest post over there. And much love to all you mothers.

What's your word?

2008-05-05T23:03:00.010-04:00

Eat, Pray, Love sits at the top of the reading rack on my stairmaster like a lure. I rarely manage to sit down and read for pleasure, but trapping myself in a continuous state of ascension seems to produce an ideal tri-tasking environment. My own little Climb, Sweat, Read routine.

In the book, the author, Elizabeth Gilbert, travels to Italy, India and Indonesia over the course of twelve months in search of her true self. This evening, as we were nearing the end of our pure pleasure adventure in Italy, she shared a conversation she had with her friend Luca Spaghetti (yes, you read Spaghetti). In this conversation, she explained to Luca that as much as she had fallen in love with Rome, she would never be able to call it home for reasons that were difficult to articulate. Luca suggested that she and Rome simply didn't connect on the same word. Word? Luca suggests that each city and each person can be represented in a single word. Rome = sex, he says. She goes on to suggest that New York = achieve. Los Angeles = success.

So I continued the path of this conversation in my mind. The notion of whittling something massive down to a single word is sort of fun. Washington DC = power. Omaha = flat. Key West = relax. Tokyo = efficient. And then I connected this concept to a post I wrote about a year and a half ago extending one-word descriptions to 101 people in my life and it dawned on me that I had not yet assigned a word to myself.

Hm. One word. That's tough. Not neat. Not sweet. Not soulful because that word belongs to Jen. Not creative (enough). Not dependable, because I forget things like field trip permission slips and fruit trays. Not honest, because I mostly am, but that should be a given, right? Not driven, because sometimes I like to just ride and look out the window. Maybe grounded, but who's to say on what level.

How about thought-full? Not thoughtful like I am likely to make a casserole for you when you're sick or remember to return your phone call, but thought-full as in full of thoughts. Curious in my view of the world. Purposeful with my words. Careful with my actions. I realize this isn't really a word, but that's part of the reason why I like it so much.

What would be your word? What one word best defines you at this moment in your life and why?

Twilight

2008-05-04T21:50:00.002-04:00

twilight
she seeks the color
of a melting sun

Holocaust Remembrance Day: A Conversation

2008-05-02T00:46:00.007-04:00

My dear friend Tamar divides her time between the United States and Israel – spending six months in each nation, each year. She's currently based in Tel Aviv and when we spoke on Skype earlier this week, she told me about the upcoming Holocaust Remembrance Day that was set to begin at sunset on April 30, 2008. She told me about the siren that would sound across Israel for two solid minutes starting at 10:00am and explained that citizens and visitors across the nation would stop everything to observe these critical moments and to reflect on the gruesome realities of the past. Gruesome realities that continue to threaten everyone, everywhere, always. I knew that I wanted to speak with her on this day and to share our conversation with you. Our conversation is approximately 25 minutes long. I hope you'll listen, reflect and remember.

powered by ODEO

Thanks go to my podcasting business for use of equipment, and to my business partner James Harris for pushing me to explore digital audio as a means of thoughtful communication.

Eeek

2008-04-30T00:10:00.003-04:00

searching for the shot
she nearly hugged the tree
little did she know
poison ivy