No Impact

Some thoughts, post documentary

Just finished watching _No Impact Man_ and feeling motivated toward some new actions. I've been wanting a bicycle for awhile and this documentary really got the 2 wheeled action juice flowing. Even though it's stifling hot in Phoenix right now, there is a great chunk of the year that I could be riding to a shoot on a bike or whizzing over to the Gilbert Farmer's Market Saturday mornings. The terrain is pretty flat so I could get a sweet little cruiser and a little cart for the kids and I am already tickled with the adventures I imagine we'd have.

Speaking of the farmer's market, I know we can do a better job so I'm going to recommit to eating locally and reducing waste. We'll bring our cloth bags and take only what we'll need for the week and use it all (composting what can be composted). For financial purposes, we have made a choice to eat out less so I've been spending more time in the kitchen creating dishes we can all look forward to and truly enjoy. Feeding the family good foods is nourishing on so many levels. As soon as we're all seated at the table, the youngest always says, "Mom, I'm ready to play grateful." Then we each say what we're grateful for and describe the best part of our day. It's awesome to hear the kids' lists and if the meal is particularly appetizing, food gets its own spotlight for a minute. The game I play in the kitchen has two steps. I try to create an aroma that invites my family to look forward to dinner then I work very hard to deliver on their expectations. If even I'm satisfied, that's a major bonus!

Speaking of composting, it's soon time to turn ours and while I made a tumble drum, it isn't a perfect seal so it's a little dirtier to turn the compost than I envisioned. It's time to get the fall garden going. We'll use containers again but I will do a better job shading them/monitoring their exposure to sunlight. The summer harvest was weakened by the tremendous heat we've had. I didn't have the shade umbrellas this year so some of the plants suffered. This fall, we plan to plant radish, squash, broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, spinach and of course, herbs.

I'd like to be a less proficient consumer. I don't know yet how to make this happen. I recently created a list of things I wanted for myself in my life and buying more wasn't on it. The theme of the list was "become a lover" and some of the targets were fun & games, adventure, growth and community. I've taken action in quite a few ways, taking on learning some new games for the kids, seeking out opportunities for adventure and finding peace in meeting people where they are. I'm weak though. Despite articulating my values, I still find myself succumbing to the allure of retail therapy and the temptation of a good sale.

Trash is an obstacle for us. Even though the bin is hardly even 1/4 full on trash days, I feel like we should be producing far less as a family of 4. I tend to cook more than enough but fail to properly store it for future consumption so uneaten food is a problem area . If Bill doesn't take it all for work, me and the girls will rarely eat leftovers - mainly because I don't like to. So I can freeze leftovers for a smorgasbord night, make only enough for the current meal or get over my hang-up with leftovers. Another way I am going to try and reduce waste is by buying products with less packaging. I haven't bought from the bulk bins in a long time but I think I might need to make much more of an effort now.

I love it when I am exposed to something that prompts action. _No Impact Man_ was both entertaining and invigorating and while not without social critique (which I won't make here), it really was motivating.

A shift

The last few weeks have been eye opening in a number of ways. I feel like I'm starting to stretch my wings and while I lack total grace, there's clarity.

At the beginning of April, there was a reading of a play I crafted. I think that event sparked something I haven't permitted myself to feel in a long time: complexity. I shared in this play aspects of myself I'd spent 2 years trying to ignore and as it's said, "What you resist persists." The quest I'm on tends to flow in and out of motion characterized by minimalism on one end and vicious complication on the other. Marching toward the center has been a coveted routine that I've persuaded myself is a virtuous endeavor. For a couple of years, I've been resisting any likeness of complexity as it pertains to my life and those around me. In the last few days, I've embraced the conundrum and it's both uncomfortable and liberating - complex, for sure. As with the stretching wings, I feel a little clumsy but freer.

I've been judgmental about the drama others bring into their lives, forgetting that every aspect of living is dramatic. There is a gift in seeing the drama as life itself. I've been hard on myself for not being more agreeable, more simple, more flowy - like water and in so doing, I lost my voice; I lost my way. Reading as myself in the play generated an anxiety around my desire for approval and in the last few days, I've had access to how utterly ordinary and boring that is. I think since doing the reading of the play, I've been more connected to what I consider is my voice and the vulnerability that comes with expressing it absolutely. Putting myself out there in the context of the play was really quite the mindmess and it didn't go as I'd envisioned but I was free as me and people didn't throw stones! I think that might be my new goal for communication - push the grain in public (no longer just in private) and hope that they don't throw stones (and run if they do!)

As a parent, all signs put a premium on consistency and I have spent years investing wholeheartedly in the party line. What I am realizing now is that consistency may not only be overrated but is also just plain impossible. There is no true cadence for life that is consistent. To hold fast to there being one is an act of desperation. I don't want to take desperate measures. I want to take bold, stunning and giant leaps in my life and suffer the glorious, inevitable falls along the way.

I've noticed a shift in how I approach photography of late too. I use to feel like a feedback fiend but now I feel peace in what I do such that affirmation doesn't feel as necessary. It is a profoundly new experience. I take the images, knowing that I love what I'm seeing. There is abundance in simply knowing that I love what I'm doing. The need for approval has diminished as I sink my grip into something I love. I'm finding the same phenomenon at work in my parenting. As I embrace what works for me as a parent, in the face of what others may say doesn't work, I have access to a much more fulfilling life as the mom I already am, instead of as the mom I keep thinking I should be. Instead of trying to generate a manifesto for mothering, I'm going with what actually works for me and my kids and the pressure to be perfect has disappeared. It's a new day and the tide has turned. There will, undoubtedly, be more to report as the winds change. Stay tuned.

A Book Review: The Creative Habit

_The Creative Habit_ by Twyla Tharp

I find myself growing more invested in this book since finishing it. It's kind of as if it's haunting me. As I read it, I didn't find it tremendously inspiring though there were some solid nuggets worth pondering. As days have passed since I read the book, I am baffled at what seems to be resonating. The idea of discretion, a term Tharp does not use, is pervading my creative sphere right now. The idea of exercising choice and judgment because I say what matters creatively is infusing my every action and that is a direct result of reading this book. Tharp does say: "Demonstrate good judgment and people will give you room to exercise it. Be ornery - it's your judgment on the line." I am choosing to exercise my judgment in an effort to express more fully who I am and letting the chips fall where they may. I am giving up the desire for approval in order to be more fully self expressed; to be more fully me and this is profoundly invigorating.

I am finding motivation in some of the ideas presented by Tharp. Despite my critique that follows, the book jumpstarted something in me. I guess Tharp does what she sets out to do although I admit, the text needed to percolate before any of that became clear. Some of the tips I am taking to heart are these:

EDIT your life: "Subtract anything that disconnects you from your work." In the 3 major life projects I have going right now (a play, parenting and photography), I am always looking for new ways to refine focus and clarity. This idea creates a world of possibility for what to include and what to give up - I love this!

EDIT your art: "The creative act is editing - exercising your judgment - set the bar high and know when to stop tinkering."

OWN your work: "Make your art the thing that you know best - the thing that you recognize yourself in."

DO the work: "Develop the skills you need... Skill gets imprinted through action... If art is the bridge between what you see in your mind and what the world sees, then skill is how you build that bridge...Challenge assumptions...Create a Hemingway bridge - figure out what's next (for tomorrow) then call it a day so that the "end of the day knits into the next."

REMEMBER: "The body is how we stay in touch with the outside world... Habitually creative people are prepared to be lucky... Fortunate people are prepared, attentive to craft, alert, involve friends and make others feel lucky to be around them."

I am not the target market as I don't find myself "creatively challenged" but I thought there might be a tip or two to glean from the famed American dancer and choreographer (and there were.) I felt the exercises were a little mundane and somewhat limited in scope. A lot like the beginning of the run of _Movin' Out_ I felt this was an uneven source of information, often endeavoring to be something it simply isn't. While I enjoyed her metaphors for dance and the body, her principles seemed overly dramatic.

The drama was in statements and sentiments like these: "We change through life but we cannot deny our sources," "Everything is usable" and "Metaphor is the lifeblood of all art." To take a suggestion from her book: "Find something useful in everything - how would you do something differently?" I would have allowed myself more space to be light in my sharing. The book could have read as if it were a dance had there been less drama grounding it; keeping it tethered. I felt it was constantly grasping to gain momentum and constantly falling short.

One of the best, most promising, parts was this tidbit: according to researcher Cesare Marchetti, "creative production is limited in our youth and...hits full stride in our prime middle years." I love the idea that the best is still yet to come!

Sweet Chariot

Part of living simply to me means having the time, energy and resources available to do the things I think are valuable. Back in October I committed myself to a project, a major step of which has just recently completed. I thought I'd share a little about the experience.

In 2003, I thought it would be neat to create a play about mental illness and its effects on loved ones. I started interviews but failed to follow through. Life was not simple enough to pursue such an endeavor at the time. An opportunity showed up to recommit to that journey in 2010 so I took it. I asked 20 people about their experience with bipolar disorder. I did not ask people with a diagnosis - I asked friends and family of a loved one with a diagnosis. I think their perspective is unique and underrepresented so I thought it would be valuable to see what they had to share. I also think that a lot of the creative work that exists around bipolar disorder tends toward the first person narrative dramatizing the highs and the lows. I wanted to reframe the drama as merely an aspect of the illness rather than it being its totality.

I wove the narratives into play form and crafted sections addressing various components of life with the disorder. I interspersed opposing viewpoints with my own personal take on various matters. I included candid opinions and brought forth challenging angles hopefully to paint a more vivid and complete picture of something that might be very new to some people. The resulting piece, I called _Sweet Chariot._

Last night at ASU's Empty Space Theatre, _Sweet Chariot_ , with its 5 member ensemble cast, had a very successful staged reading. The theatre was packed (people were turned away) and the response was truly overwhelming. While I was still nervous to be reading my own voice in the work and nervous about how the piece might be received, I had earlier chosen to commit to the play being some type of contribution, however modest that might be. Giving up any attachment to the "success" of the piece made room for the piece to be "successful."

The most valuable token I got out of seeking the perspectives of others as it pertains to bipolar disorder is that I have an obligation to be responsible for the care of my health; for the care of my life because I don't exist in a vacuum. Being responsible for my own health and well being reminds me everyday that I am a contribution to the lives around me and in order to give my all, I have to be my all. Being my all has meant giving up my personal views on certain things, like taking medication (altering what's natural), in order to serve a greater purpose - that of being part of a community.

Determining Values: How vigilant to be?

Lately, I've found myself working more on identifying my values and trying to streamline life in accordance to them. The trouble spots I am encountering involve my kids and their things and my kids' apparent values as well as in the area of my photography business.

As for my kids: their values and mine don't always seem to jive and negotiating them is something I'm unsure of how to do. To head off potential conflict of values, I'm considering instituting a 100 personal items/person rule so everyone can choose what to keep in their space based on whatever they deem their values to be. So far, I'm not getting much support on this initiative. Bill thinks the house is simplified enough as it is and that 100 items/person might create an austerity that's undesirable. I think it might be amazing the freedom we could have if we pursued and were vigilant about having 100 items/person.

As I contemplate values and priorities for myself, my family and my business, some of the keywords that keep coming up in this area are: access, clarity, beauty, compassion, love, health, contribution and joy. I've further identified these areas as valuable: well-being, family, friendship, art and nature.

Along this line of sharing values, I have been wondering how much of myself to share with potential business clients. I think the work environment for like minded individuals might lend itself to easy breezy and fun photo sessions. I would, however, hate to restrict myself from clients who might have different, say, environmental views but have similar aesthetic views. It's something I'm trying to work out as I move forward professionally.

For now, I will daydream about how cool it might be to have 100 items/person in this house and how it might be to be completely open with my values with everyone I encounter.

10 Simple Ways to Save Money

10 Simple Ways to Save Money

1. Bank online

a. schedule your bill payments and avoid late fees

b. online bill pay cuts out the cost of checks

c. eliminate the cost of stamps

bonus: reduce paper waste

2. Sell the TV (Keep the Computer)

a. Get free entertainment online (see online videos at specific networks or try hulu)

b. Try Netflix or some service like it

c. Borrow friends' DVDs

3. Cook at home

a. Get recipes to try out at home from the web

b. Make enough dinner to cover lunch for work the next day

c. Live healthier

4. Buy in bulk the things you use

a. household items: sponges, dish soap, laundry detergent, etc.

b. body care items: vitamins, razors, soap, toothpaste, etc.

c. food stuffs: juice, cereal, meats & fish, canned goods, etc.

5. Do you really still have a house phone?

6. Stop buying water

7. Love what you have

8. Stop buying paper napkins & paper towels - Use cloth

9. Fix what's broke

a. Fix leaks

b. Mend clothes

c. Oil the squeaky wheel

10. Take stock & Use it up

Happy New Year! Now what?

"2010 was full but 2011 will be free" is my mantra of late. In what areas and how will it be free?

Home: By instituting the 50 item/week purge, I am taking action to create space for abundance - however it may present itself.

Family/Relationships: I have in the back of my head the question "How can I love you more?" to remind myself to express my care and affection more frequently and fully.

Business (EKP): I am standing by my promise to "capture the love & energy of the good life" even if that means I have to go out and find those living the good life myself! I see some very fun shoots with friends in the near future!

Community: I am going to finally realize a project long in coming that looks at bipolar disorder and the friends and family of loved ones who have it

Spirituality: I am practicing gratitude for gifts: large and small, requested and unrequited, sweet and sour.

Health: Attending to my health includes exercise, the idea that most things can be resolved through nutrition and a daily dose of the outdoors.

This will be an amazing year - made lighter and brighter in more ways than one.

Cheers to you and yours!

1,000 Items

I completed the 1,000 item purge on Dec 31 and it was awesome! I ended by going through the last decade's worth of journals. I sifted through them for their irresistible bits then burned them in a fire. To revisit certain periods of my life was a little burdensome but the final effort was entirely cathartic. The purge was such a rush that I've instituted a new ongoing purge: 50 items/week. The goal for this purge is to keep the flow moving, moving, moving!

Happy Solstice

It's the solstice and I've been purging. I'm up to 645 items so far and I intend to have 1000 purged by the start of 2011. Tonight, we'll burn financial statements, life reflections, and health records in an effort to symbolically transform the state of each of these areas.

Finances: It isn't likely there will be an increase in Bill's income this year but from my end, we could improve our financial situation a bit at a time. As I advance in my passion for photography, generating revenue could be icing on the cake. I am committed to playing the business game big as EKP takes ground.

Life: Life is good - ours works. That said, there's still always room for greater sharing and fuller loving. I know I want to be vulnerable and courageous in my sharing and I have actions to employ to that end. As a mother, daughter, sister, partner and friend - I am committed to being more open, compassionate and considerate.

Health: I'm always interested in achieving optimal health for our whole family. We could eat better, rest enough, and laugh more. I am committed to reinvigorating our family's habits to improve health for all.

I am making more physical room in our home to accommodate abundant and loving energies. I don't intend to fill the empty space with material goods and can already sense the revitalization of the space.

Ants & Stomach Flu

It's kind of like a simplicity short cut - a minor crisis to jumpstart behavior modification. When we were attacked by ants, I realized how imposing certain pieces of furniture and my organization of things were. As we tried to clear the critters out, stuff was moved and much of it given away. I simplified the design of things to more easily accommodate any further insect invasions which ultimately led to a cleaner, easier to maintain space. It took the problem of ants to prompt a new shift in my ideas of space and organization.

In a similar vein, a recent stomach flu forced me to simplify my dietary habits. I've opted to maintain many of the new habits and in addition to the 5 pounds I lost while ill, I've lost an additional 3 pounds. Thanks to the stomach flu, I've simplified my sense of appetite and I am more in tune to my body and its dietary needs.

It's all about the silver lining.

100 items

I reached 100 items today!

Pulling from an article by 2 of the leaders of the voluntary simplicity movement, Elgin & Mitchell, I am applying a quick rubric to my living space: Does what I own promote activity, self-reliance and involvement or does it induce passivity and dependence? I am also applying this question: Does what I own promote consumption?

These questions have made a tremendous difference in how I see my things and while I still have 400 more items to go, I know I can easily distill our living space further. I already feel a newness starting to open up in my home and it's invigorating!

Energy

I am starting a new 500 item purge to ring out 2010. I feel that we may be living beyond the means of our home. I feel as if the home is bursting. In order to accommodate fresh abundance, I need to make room for it. This purge's theme is all about ENERGY. I am committed to unlocking what my life's momentum is directed toward and creating a material world that supports those energies. So far, what I've come up with are: connectedness, courage, love, clarity, contribution and joy. As I unearth more of how these energies propel my life, I will share.

November

The month of November was hopping. With 4 regular shoots and 22 mini shoots, business was booming! I am a tad challenged to stay organized and on top of the work-life balance right now. With the influx of paperwork, phone calls and scheduling details, I'm inundated with information. So far, here's what's working:

Calendars: I use google calendar to coordinate with my family all our plans so we're all on board for whatever's coming up. I print that out every month for the next 4 months and update that as I'm out and about. I do not rely completely on the computer for everything and planning is one thing I've discovered for which I require something tactile. I also have a workbook in which I schedule the tasks for the day, appointments, and the intention I am creating for the day.

A great partnership: Bill has been an amazing source of energy and light as we work together to meet the needs of our family and our growing business. He often cares for the children anyway but weekends are pretty full these days so the demand is a little higher. As the "suit," he also handles all the accounting and fiscal details. As the "creative," I am in charge of production.

What could be working better:

Time: spending quality time with the girls has taken a back seat to business calls, editing and planning. I commit to spending more and better quality time with each child.

Filing: I hate filing so the file basket often has to overflow before I even consider addressing it. I commit to emptying the filing basket every week.

Things that work

Things That Work: De-stressors

Stress manifests itself in different ways. Usually something on me breaks out...my face, my tongue, this go round - it's my eye. Between trying to strike a work-life balance between a new business, motherhood and household management, I've been on a quest to quell some of the angst I've been experiencing lately. Here's what I've come up with that works for me:

1. Distraction: a good novel or magazine article as time permits stops my world for a minute and allows me to escape whatever feels pressing. I can usually come back to the present with a little more clarity and awareness than when I left it.

2. Knowing that all there is to do is what there is to do* and doing it. Whether it's the laundry, a phone call, the dishes, a craft I'd been promising the kids, dinner, etc., I try not to let my energy level or feelings dictate whether something gets done.

3. Sugar: Mochi, candy corn, caramel apples, rasmalai, custard, smores, cinnamon popcorn, Vosges chocolate - sweet stuffs are my friend

4. Goodwill: There's always something cool to find at Goodwill and that the expenditure is for a good cause is an added bonus.

5. Water or hot tea. I love 2 glasses of cool water or a cup of hot pink lady apple tea.

6. Running: Even though I already run 2-4 times a week, I find this type of exercise extremely helpful in the morning, especially in alleviating some of the stress I wake up with.

7. Michael Franti on Pandora + a stick of burning incense.

8. Writing: I keep journals for each of my children, a private journal and this blog. Writing in any of these is both a distraction and a rejuvenator.

9. Alone time.

10. Laughter: Things bringing me laughter these days, aside from the entertainers my children can be, are these shows: Modern Family, Cougar Town, Glee, Running Wilde, SNL, and Psych.

*Landmark Education

Decluttering?

I found this list in one of my simplicity journals that I thought might be helpful to record in this space:

When simplifying/decluttering, keep the things that:

-bring beauty

-stir the soul

-bring family/friends together in creative/meaningful ways

-educate/enlighten

-make life profoundly simpler

-are helpful day to day

-are part of a special ritual/tradition

Road Trip with Kids? Simple!

In the past 4 months we've visited both US coasts and traveled about 2K miles by car. Here's what we've learned that we think makes a difference in road tripping the simple way:

For the car:

1. STORY: A good story line is more useful than a DVD player. Telling stories to pass the time means less equipment, less stuff and less power hogging from the car. When the kids gets especially restless, old favorites to the rescue: Old MacDonald had a Farm, Bingo was his name-o, and The old lady who swallowed a fly! Get silly with the songs so that even you entertain yourself a little! Finger rhymes/tunes are especially entertaining for the kids - if you're not the one driving, that is!

2. GPS: A GPS is invaluable. We use the one on my phone. It may require a little extra juice from the car so another reason not to clog up the energy sources with a DVD player. One of the features we love about GPS is being able to find exactly what we're looking for - the cheapest gas, a certain store store, groceries, etc.

3. TREATS: Real treats as treats. For each road trip, I purchased snacks that I would otherwise not buy. New snacks are novel and serve as great bargaining chips when the going gets rough plus if you get what you like too it's something to look forward to when the road gets long. For the driver, I recommend the small 5-hour energy drinks and expensive chocolate!

4. PLAN: Plan ahead: use google maps and plan to avoid traffic or other potential delays if possible, spend a little time brainstorming up topics of conversation between you and kids or you and other adult so that whoever is driving can be sufficiently engaged to stay awake. Plan on restroom breaks and plan on diversions from the plan.

5. COMFORT: Make the car as comfortable as possible with some of the conveniences of home: tissues, wipes, hand cleaner, hand towels, travel pillows, blankies, dolls, books, other novelty items to entertain little hands.

For the hotel/place of rest:

1. SCENT: Febreeze/air spray to help promote the scent and feel of home. We use Febreeze and a lavender pillow spray at home so mini sized ones are what we bring with us. Depending on where we've chosen to stay, I bring along a small can of Lysol too (!)

2. MONEY: A well thought out budget. On our most recent road trip, we budgeted to dine out our first night in town. The kids had a different idea and were a little tapped out by dinner time. Since we knew precisely what we budgeted for food, we could opt to get room service and dine in to everyone's relief and comfort and not break the bank.

3. CONSIDERATION: A nice tip for the cleaning staff. Our kids are messy and between dirty diapers, carpet crumbs and pillow fights, the cleaning staff deserve a little extra for what they will be asked to do upon our check out.

4. PERKS: Ask if there are any perks for kids. Our most recent hotel stay had a scavenger hunt for kids that might have been necessary had we not planned enough to entertain the little rascals.

5. COMFORT: Again with the conveniences of home: wipes, hand cleaner, lotion, safety pins, nail clipper, nail file, floss, blankies, etc.

For out & about:

1. HANDS: Wipes are so handy after dining out, ice cream, the beach, petting puppies, anywhere the quality of little (or big) hands might get compromised. Hand sanitizer is also a must.

2. BUBBLES: Bubbles are perfect in times of boredom brinking on disaster. You can buy mini containers at party stores.

3. PENS: and paper are handy to have to jot a note to yourself or to save your sanity by letting the kids get their draw on.

The road trip out east was longer and punctuated by multiple stops and starts than the road trip to the west but these were some of the nuggets that we know we'll continue to find useful for future excursions. Happy Trails!

Why We Don't Have TV

We've been without a proper television since 2006. Our antiquated hand-me-down died one October 4 years ago and we chose to see how long we could go without. We like TV - we are big fans of our "stories" - but here are 5 reasons why we don't have one:

1. Simply cutting out the massive advertising that TV offers has cut our desires by at least half and increased our activity by leaps and bounds. We like this. While we may not be privy to all the latests and greatests in films, or anything really, cravings for the latests and greatests is not missed at all.

2. We are sufficiently entertained by DVDs through Netflix as well as its Instant Watch feature. The variety is great and for $10/month we get unlimited online instant watching. To have unlimited access to watch Barney, Dr. Who and Law & Order whenever we want = priceless!

3. We have computers to pass the time in lieu of TV and given the access available via the web, not having TV is painless. We see a lot of our favorite programming by going direct to the TV station's website or by watching via hulu.com.

4. With program viewing now a ritual rather than a habit, there is a tremendous amount of time to spend doing other cool stuff.

5. Being a fan of products that multi-task, the computer has greater utility than a TV. We network, shop, research, and play online video games for free. If we had to choose a shiny box of colored light to keep around, the computer is definitely it.

Business Simplicity: Know Thyself & Perspective

Knowing one's strengths and limitations is paramount in any game being played but setting up a business requires an extra keen sensibility of such qualities. Ten or so years ago I tried to have a business but the most common of things kept getting in the way: money. It was a creative endeavor wherein I made stuff for sale and by commission. I did not like thinking in terms of profit and loss and therefore didn't. My partner was a stickler for such things and eventually we drove each other a little bonkers. After several emotional exchanges, we parted ways in this regard. We're married so we didn't part far.

We're older and, hopefully, wiser now so instead of focusing my time and energy on strictly generating and maintaining revenue, I concede to a partner who sees to those details. I get to see to every creative aspect of my business and he sees to the flow and balance of the details that he's talented at managing. Regular conversations to address how our "duties" are being carried out in relation to my overall grand scheme are integral.

Recognizing where each of our individual strengths lie affords us each opportunities to excel. Keeping tabs on the big picture on a daily basis is essential to maintaining perspective of the business's goals and productivity.

So what is the business and what is the grand scheme? Elaine Kessler Photography is the business and the grand scheme is to generate enough money to consistently and continuously "capture the love and energy of the good life." This is the beginning so as I get my feet wet I imagine that kinks will come more frequently before they go but as I've fielded 1 or 2 (kinks) so far, I am buckling up, with a smile, and getting ready for the ride.

Why We Drive A Hybrid

After 10 years of sharing a car (4 of which were for 3+ people), we finally, begrudgingly, became a 2-car family. Of all the cars on the market, here are 5 reasons why we drive a Hybrid:

1. We wanted a cool, quality second vehicle. Buying one that combines the power of a gas engine with an electric motor that reduces fuel consumption and emissions was a no brainer, especially since we like to think of ourselves as green & clean!

2. Trendy can be cool. We like protecting the environment and setting a new standard for our kids. Hybrid's "produce about 90 percent fewer smog-forming tailpipe emissions compared with the average new car," according to the Head of Environmental Engineering for Toyota. We want to set a trend for our kids in how to treat the planet, driving green is just one way we can put power behind our action.

3. Comfort counts. Our Honda Insight is just as, if not a tad more, comfortable than our Saturn Vue and it rides as smooth as other gas-powered drives we've experienced.

4. Driving a Hybrid is peaceful. When the car is stopped, the engine completely shuts down so gas isn't wasted or toxins emitted.

5. We like saving money. With the Hybrid's fuel efficiency, we visit the gas station less than twice a month as compared to the once a week we visit with the Saturn.

Despite having to be a 2 car family, I truly do adore the Honda Insight. We may have been able to survive on 1 car, perhaps even no cars, but our quality of life would have suffered as a result. Sharing a car was fine for the 2 of us but once we grew in number, it seemed wiser and safer to have access to more mobile resources. Choosing a hybrid was one of the best choices we could have made and when the time comes to choose again, we'll trade the Saturn in for a hybrid too.

Why We Compost

I grew up composting so it was only natural that I would compost as an adult. There were some fallacies about composting that I had to work through to finally arrive at the green & clean method we use today. Here are some reasons we compost:

1. It's easy. Once you get the hang of it, composting becomes second nature. I find myself looking for friends' compost bins whenever I'm at their house. Throw the banana peel in the trash can? Really? Maybe I'll just stash this till I get home to my bin.

2. It saves space. With the terrific accumulation of waste product, composting can save quite a bit of trash space. We use MAYBE 2 small plastic grocery bag's worth of trash every week for a family of 4 (that includes diapers!) Btw - of course, we recycle.

3. It's good for the planet. Landfills are being pushed to the max. The EPA estimates that roughly 25% of the garbage in the U.S. is made up of yard trimmings and food scraps. Imagine all the land and energy we could save, simply by composting.

4. It's good for the garden. "Black gold" loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils retain water. Composted gardens tend to produce more and higher quality fruits and veggies than gardens made with commercial fertilizer alone.

5. It saves money. After the tiny initial investment of setting up a space to compost, we find that composting saves us money by reducing what we pay for fertilizer and yard waste removal. We save $5/month by composting ourselves and not paying for the municipal yard clipping bin pick up. We used an old crib to set up the boundaries for the outdoor compost and we use various bowls to haul indoor scraps outside. Recycling means zero-minimal cost on both ends.

6. It's clean. Only composts done wrong attract pests. Keep dairy products, meats and anything cooked out of your pile and you'll be golden.