Santa's Elves on Overtime.

Well Santa's elves may have missed the deadline, but they are putting in some serious overtime to get this final little gift done. New website + blog coming soon friends...here's a little peek:

My friend Jimmy.

You may or may not know that I spent the past month on the set of a movie, but while I was there I made a new friend. His name is Jimmy, and he is one of the greatest characters I've met recently. I hope one day you can meet him as well.

Charity: Water

October and November have been 100% nuts (in a pretty fantastic way), but now that I've had a moment to rest, I wanted to start down this road to the Holiday's highlighting something I'm pretty stoked about:

Charity: Water

For Christmas this year, my wife and I wanted to do something different in the spirit of giving and sacrifice, so we're targeting something that means a lot to us - clean water.

More than a billion people are living without water on our planet. Some walk miles every day to get to the nearest source: a stagnant, parasite-infested stream or pond. They lug it back to their families. They suffer from diarrhea, worms and skin diseases because they can't wash themselves. 45,000 people die each day from waterborne illnesses.

So it's pretty simple - instead of us receiving gifts from friends and family - we're asking them to donate the money they would have spent to our Charity: Water fundraiser. On average it takes about $5,000 to build a well for a village in need - so that's our goal.

The cool thing is that it's not only about clean water - it goes so much deeper. In Africa alone, people spend 40 billion hours every year just walking for water. Women and children usually bear the burden of water collection, walking miles to the nearest source, which is unprotected and likely to make them sick.

Time spent walking and resulting diseases keep them from school, work and taking care of their families. Along their long walk, they're subjected to a greater risk of harassment and sexual assault. Hauling cans of water for long distances takes a toll on the spine and many women experience back pain early in life.

With safe water nearby, women are free to pursue new opportunities and improve their families’ lives. Kids can earn their education and build the future of their communities.

We know that there's so many worthy places to give our time, attention and resources to year-round - but if you're looking for a place to give this holiday season, we'd love your help in bringing clean water to a village in need.

I love this time of year, hope to run into you all soon!

Cheers, Jonathan

I'm alive!

I guess you might say it's been for good reason that there hasn't been a recent blog post...

I've actually been too busy!

Let's give bullet points a go:

• September 16: Donald Miller - an author I enjoy - posted a blog saying that a movie he (and others) had been working on for years was being put on hold indefinitely due to lack of finances.

• I sent am email to a buddy of mine claiming a belief that they should have been able to raise the money, and I had a general idea how they should have gone about it.

• My buddy (Zach) said he would have said the same thing to me first if he'd had the chance.

• We knew a mutual friend of the author, and so we sent a hail mary email: Just two normal guys making a pitch to raise funds for a movie we had no part of. Typically you and I might refer to this as 'dreaming.'

• Within hours of sending the email - we heard back, "Tell us more."

• We bought some whiteboards and stayed up all that night in my garage putting together a pitch to raise an unknown amount of funds in less than a month. We sent it out on Friday.

• Sunday night - the Director-to-be, Steve Taylor, came over to Zach's place and met with us...he even bought us coffee. About midnight, Don conferenced in - and in a matter of days Zach and I went from Joe Blow's working the corporate gig to Joe Blow's working the corporate gig and in charge of spear-heading a campaign to raise $125,000 in less than 30 days.

• From there it's a bit of a whirlwind...we put together a viral marketing campaign in 5 days, launched www.savebluelikejazz.com, slept minimally, and tried to soak in an incredible story that somehow we landed upon. In the end the campaign raised just shy of $346,000. The movie was saved!

There's other news though...in the midst of all this, a couple really cool opportunities happened upon me. I was offered a gig to go cover the release week of what was anticipated to be one of the biggest record releases in recent history. The anticipation proved true! In fact - she's the latest (and one of the few) to sell a million copies in her first week! This was obviously an exciting gig, and one that allowed me to travel out to NYC and LA for the coverage. Along with that - once the movie was saved - Zach and I were both offered jobs on the set of the movie. While both these opportunities were beyond wonderful - they forced me to a crossroads: up until now, whenever good gigs came up I would take vacation from my day job and it all worked out. Well - turns out I didn't have 5-6 weeks of vacation time left. :)

That said - here I sit, proclaiming to you now...

I'm officially full-time Creative.

Exciting and scary are both terms that come to mind, but the adventure is on and I can't help but smile about it.

More soon, I promise.

JF

Dan Hartman

A few months ago, late one night, I got a text along the lines of this from my buddy Nate:

"Hey man, I met this guy out on the road...His story is amazing. I want to bring him out to Nashville and do things right. I'll tell you more later. You in?"

Nate is the kind of guy I don't really think twice with, so all I could muster was a one word answer:

"Absolutely"

Fast forward to a couple weeks ago: there I was, sitting down for lunch at a local pub with the man in the flesh - meet Dan Hartman.

After a moment of introductions and guy-humor-small-talk, I said to Dan, "So man, let me hear your story."

He gently removed the bandana from his head and set it aside, raised his eyes, and began.

I couldn't help but stop and listen...hanging on his words. Major life moments are an understatement for this guy. It doesn't start here, but one notable point of the story is when he explains that by medical standards, he shouldn't be alive. In fact, for 14 minutes some time ago...he wasn't alive. He laid dead on the operating table. Flatlined.

Fourteen minutes.

But he didn't give up. He's here, and he's pouring it all out in his gut-wrenching lyrics, and delivering it with his soothing and soulful voice.

Thanks Dan, for not only sharing your story, but embracing it. You are truly an inspiration.

Dan filmed a music video and recorded an EP while he was here as well. When those are released, I will excitedly pass them along.

Quitting The Cover: A Self-Portrait.

Note: This piece originated as an entry to a contest Donald Miller is holding for his Living A Better Story Seminar in Portland this fall. As the ink began to flow, I quickly realized that this was far more than a contest piece. It was a grueling - and at times quite painful - storyboard of the most honest self-portrait I've ever displayed. It's long. It's raw. It's me.

"Our very lives are fashioned by choice...First we make choices, then our choices make us." - Andy Andrews

* * *

Many hours have been spent trying to write this piece – unsuccessfully – and I just couldn’t gather why…

Until now.

The simplified explanation is because I tend to be an arrogant & manipulating, wanna-be-superhuman ass. The process that lead me there, well, you can find that below.

I’ve got this reputation I used to have this reputation – one of ‘having all the answers.’ I was the father figure to friends, the go-to guy in my family when my parents split after 32 years of marriage, and let's not forget to mention the credibility I built from spending a lot of time at church and being voted ‘Best All-Around’ by my senior class.

So I took it. They asked, I answered. They didn’t ask, yet I thoughtfully spoke up. They asked me not to give my opinion, and I convinced them why I should. It was glorious.

Then, 4 years ago I moved to a new city, outside the only bubble I’d really ever known. I met a girl, dropped out of school, and started experiencing life in a whole new way.

Don’t worry, that’s where the cliché ends.

That girl and I? Well, I now call her my bride and the mother to our daughter.

She could also be described however as the girl who I couldn’t manipulate. The girl who called out my B.S. The girl I fought (loudly) with on the streets of New York City two days after our wedding…on our honeymoon. The girl who feels trapped because marriage has felt more like prison than it has freedom.

I can’t take all the blame, but I will take a good chunk of it.

I was the first boy she dated that ‘grew up in the church.’ She wanted that, badly, and I figured out a way to deliver. The problem was that the church I grew up in wasn’t authentic; it was a commodity to the suburban lifestyle. It taught façade, not facts. It taught legalism, not life. But it taught, and I learned. The system was in place.

So how did that affect our lives so significantly? Expectations, attachments, superficiality, lack of trust, backdoors, terrible leadership, and an ultimate feeling of imprisonment.

So here I was, dumbfounded as to why I couldn’t write this piece.

Then the sun rose.

This season of my life has been about shutting up. It’s been about learning not to attempt and manipulate a situation so that I can get the most out of it. It’s been about learning to strip it all away and just be raw. It’s cold, it’s naked, it’s wildly uncomfortable and it feels like hell...

...or perhaps another way to describe it would be along the lines of learning a few life lessons in courage + humility.

My many first unsuccessful attempts at this piece were forgeries full of eloquent rhetoric trying to win a free trip. I suppose my soul wouldn’t allow me to finish until I accepted the fact that manipulating words for a free trip isn’t living a better story. It’s a business maneuver, it’s my same ol’ routine, and it’s a lie.

Something had to give. I had to push past the flesh of keeping it pretty on the outside, and commit to going regardless of the outcome. I couldn’t just ‘hope to get a free ride’ and expect my life to change. Granted, a seminar won’t change my life, but I believe a willingness to sacrifice and community will.

Now, as I press on towards this path to freedom and life, I’d love to share a little bit of the journey I long plan to take.

I want to re-marry my wife, but not in a ceremonial way (well, if doves flew, I’d be ok with that). I just want us to embody life. In that role I want to be a leader. I want to serve and love my bride wilder than ever. Continuously chasing after her wild heart...with courage & vulnerability. Fight for her, woo her...hold her when she’s lonely and stand up when she can’t. I want to be on the front row as the feeling of imprisonment slips away and enjoy her finding freedom in her own story, watching from a distance...but never too far to miss out on the unfolding beauty.

I want to be a tender and loving, humble father who adores his little girl. I want to teach her about self-worth and living life to the fullest: laughing often, taking chances, and serving others. I want to show her how we love often, and love recklessly.

As a family I want to enjoy the majesty of God’s creation together. I long for us to invest and learn from other cultures and to never allow others expectations of ‘how life is supposed to be lived’ to get in the way.

As a unique individual, I want to look in the mirror and see someone who has taken the time to dig deep within, examine God’s masterful artistry to the best of my human brain’s ability, and put it to work in a way that is edifying, joy breathing, life giving + glorifying to him.

My aim? Full-time creative. My main trade will be photography, but there’s so much more. I want to invest the majority of my life believing in people and seeing them succeed. Whether this relates to photography, or creative vision, or an authentic conversation over a beverage or two, that’s how I want to do it. I have much to learn, but where I excel and find ignited passion is in the opportunity to capture and share a story.

Think about this. There’s a reason people love Rolling Stone magazine. Have a look and you’ll notice that the stories never stem from an hour-long interview with the same Q & A session rattled off by a disinterested journalist. Rather, a music fiend who is also wildly talented in story telling and capturing the details of life goes and spends some time with whoever the subject may be. They eat together, drink together, and it’s typically inevitable that they will cause some ruckus together. Ultimately, what’s happening during that time is relationships are being forged, walls are cracking down a bit, and authenticity is bleeding forth. Come time to check your mailbox, it’s the best damn story you’ve ever read on given subject.

I want to do that, but visually.

And I want to make a living that way.

I want to hear the story about the humble and out-of-the-ordinary beginnings, I want to hear the vision for the grandest plans, and I want to capture the passion that accompanies it from beginning to end. By the time they show up for ‘the shoot’ I want to have a built a relationship, been a part of the process, seen and know the passion behind it all. Then, I will have the confidence of my now friends to capture them and their dreams in the best light imaginable.

This can and will take on many forms, many of which are most likely beyond my current scope of imagination, but I do know where I want it to carry me…

I want to put food on the table for my wife and daughter, our friends, our families, strangers alike, and I want to do it intentionally.

I want to use the gifts within that I can’t hold down, and from that platform I want to help encourage and enable others to embrace their gifts and talents, and watch them soar.

I don’t want to live a life separated by God, family, philanthropy, job, social time and rest. I want it all to ebb + flow. Rather, I would prefer to break it down like this:

Life.

My mind spins a million miles an hour on a regular basis trying to figure out exactly how it is that I’m going to continue this semi-successful trek along eggshell trail, checking off the legalistic and manipulating list. In the process I’ve forgotten to dream, forgotten to live, forgotten to love.

I’m tired of busting my fleshly ass to try and create this attractive and enticing picture. I’m tired of making book covers. It’s time to write the story.

* * *

To find out more about Don's seminar this fall, have a look at the video below, and then hop over to www.donmilleris.com/conference to discover all the details you may need.

Living a Better Story Seminar from All Things Converge Podcast on Vimeo.

Hope to see you in Portland. Cheers - JF

PictureShow

Been enjoying the new iPhone app PictureShow lately.

In studio.

Chances are you don't know these friends of mine yet...but chances are also good that you soon will.

Stay tuned.

Rightful Recognition + Thank You.

There's a question out there in the creative world that is all too often misguided and typically ends up as a poor reflection of one party or another...

"Who are your 3 biggest influences?"

95% of the time I could care less. Not because I'm a jerk - rather because it's so much more than a simple question with a 3 name (band/inanimate object/etc.) answer. Beyond that, influence is so wide spread and ever changing that to meddle it down to a hardly thought through tip of the tongue response seems careless.

To me, just because someone's photography work blows my mind - doesn't mean they can sit on the top of my list. In fact, the photographer whose work I 'admire the most' (if that truly exists?) from a photography point of view does not sit on my biggest influence list.

Because it takes more.

I don't care what your job is or how well you perform it. There's thousands of great photographers, musicians, painters, etc. in this world. What stands out to me is what happens beyond your insane talents, that is - your inability to control your creative core, and the authenticity that bleeds forth (and of course in some way - I'm able to relate on some level to who you are as a human being).

With all that said - for the rare time-being, I can wholheartedly say that I do indeed have a 3-deep list, and I thought it time to give some rightful recognition. So to these three souls, I want to thank you for going before me, for being excellent at what you do and for blazing the creative trail of your innermost.

Jeremy Cowart

His 7 word Twitter bio is quite a good summary,

'Photographer to the stars and the suffering' - but he's also so much more. Yes - Jeremy is a killer photographer (whose work has most definitely inspired me) but beyond that, Jeremy stands out in a few different areas as well. You may remember Help-Portrait from a blog post (or two) on here - that was started in Jeremy's brain. Jeremy is also mind-blowing in the fine-art arena, and has a couple (1 & 2) remarkable books under his belt. Really though...that's not what pushed Jeremy over the top for me. I've had the pleasure of interacting with Jeremy on a number of occasions - and the guy is two things: real and caring. He authentically cares about relationships with friends, strangers, clients, and notably his wife and kids. Thanks for being a stand-up guy Jeremy, you impact many.

Chase Jarvis

First - he's out of Seattle, which already is a bonus point (I love that city!), and yes, again - photog extraordinaire. But those are just details - what pushes Chase over the top? He is a creative across the board who finds inspiration everywhere, and then shares that inspiration and encourages others to do the same! Chase has this little saying that has gained him a fair amount of attention, "The best camera is the one thats with you." In his case...his iPhone. Which then led to this sweet little idea to have an iPhone app made called 'The Best Camera' which also led to a book, and a fully dedicated website. So that's awesome - but not enough. He also dabbles in some pretty slick film projects, and not only are they high quality in terms of production, but they also have meaning. Beyond that? Chase pushes the envelope in the creative industry doing things that only a few years ago would have alienated him from his peers (sharing behind the scenes 'happenings' as well as 'tips & tricks' of the pros). And to top it off? Chase's blog is a constant poker - either pointing the spotlight on someone else doing sick things in the creative community, or giving the general public some pretty awesome insight. Cheers Chase, next drinks on me.

John Mayer

Wait - John Mayer isn't a photographer? Well 1) yes he is, and a quite good one I might say but more importanly 2) I told you it's about more than just pictures. John is also a genius at his trade, no question. Many fond memories have included some of his licks on the soundtrack, but again - it's much more than that. It first started when I stumbled upon this video. I thought John made music? Oh my naivete. He creates, and creates, and creates, and can't help himself. In the midst of it all, he carries a career, and attempts to just live (though very publicly scrutinized) life. He makes savoring melodies, is a master wordsmith, takes his camera everywhere, cares about and promotes things that need promoting, and even bakes. Take a look back through his Tumblr and it's easy to see that his tortured artist self is just a man trying to utilize the gifts God gave him to the fullest. After all - its the only way he knows how to connect with his soul - to create - and I hope he does until the day he dies.

Be inspired, be influenced, and at the end of the day - be yourself.

Forrest Gump on life:

At one point in the movie Forrest Gump, Jenny asks:

"What are you gonna be when you grow up?"

To which Forrest replied:

"Why can't I be me?"

The more you understand yourself, the more you can move forward with boldness and confidence...Your responsibility and source of real freedom and success is to discover who you are. Lead with your own unique talents and personality. Be authentically you and let God use you.

(Inspired by and excerpts taken from Dan Miller's book, 48 Days To The Work You Love)

The Creators Project: James Powderly

I subscribe to 8 RSS feeds, most of which are not updated on a daily basis...in other words, not a lot by any stretch of the means. Five of them are photography related, one a wise friend, one a wise man (who I'd like to call my friend) and one that's just plain stupid humor and enjoyable.

I'd personally say that the quality is high enough in that mix that it not only keeps my plate full, but constantly pushes my creative-combustion-envelope in so many ways. One of those in particular is the blog feed of Chase Jarvis. What I enjoy so thoroughly about Chase's blog is that he is constantly highlighting other aspects of this life as it pertains to the creative. I've learned and been introducted (so-to-speak) to so many great stories via his blog - but it doesn't just stop there. I allow the rabbit trail to ensue, take a look around, and always find myself stumbling upon the most inspiring moments. Such is the case today.

Chase had a post today highlighting cinematographer Curt Morgan and his company BrainFarm. Chase came upon their insane goodness via The Creators Project, which now brings us to the point of this post. After taking a look at the amazing things BrainFarm is up to, I took a look around and came upon this video highlighting artist and inspirational human being James Powderly. I would love to interview 'tempt' and try to understand the impact James has had on him, but I get the feeling that no explanation would suffice.

Be inspired.

Southern + Swell = Savanah

This equation is a no-brainer.

What do you get when you combine:

+ Amazing southern city of Savannah, GA

+ Beautiful boutique hotel (AVIA) <-- Highly recommend!

+ Class of a military groom

+ The charm of a vintage bride

+ And two families that party til they drop?

= Beautiful (and really enjoyable) story of Ally & Drew Julian.

One word. Four letters. S-T-U-D.

I always enjoy destination weddings - new scenery, new culture, new fascinating people...and Savannah did not disappoint! If you ever get the chance to drop in for a few days, do yourself a favor and walk everywhere you go. It's just too beautiful to ignore!

One Heck of a Dinner Party.

Well yesterday's post was about the people, today's post is about the fabulous event put on by those people.

When Delaney & Austin first approached me about capturing their fabulous day - I knew I was in for a treat. He likes soccer and good beer, she loves cooking and has an incredible knack for details...not to mention they are just really genuine and enjoyable people. (For extra credit - they took me out for a pint at one of my favorite watering holes - 12th South Taproom!) As they began to unfold the day for me, I relaxed in the overwhelmingly fresh air...

"This isn't about cliche photo ops, or about typical wedding moments...this is about homemade love, an awesome party with friends and family...and good food of course!"

My job? Capture that.

Phenomenal venue that came through in the last minute clutch? Houston Station

Best dang snowballs around handcrafted by: Fleur de Lis Flavors

And of course...the wicked good food catered by: B & C Bar-B-Q

Weddings: The Beauty in the Beast.

Weddings quite often are an interestingly beautiful beast...

The fine line between a beautiful represenation of one couple's public profession of love for one another all too often gets blurred with somebody elses expectations of a 'perfect day.' Stress, frustration, meltdowns...it almost always creeps up somewhere. Thankfully - most people find a way to look back and have a good laugh later on, however it still adds weight to the day that perhaps wasn't necessary.

I got married not too long ago (2 & 1/2 years) so this comes from personal experience as well as professional. My wife and I often look back and talk about the details from our day and how only a few short years would change our approach dramatically. The really miraculous part about it all though? It always seems to work itself out. No matter the issue, big or small...someone is there to help. To me - that is the beauty.

This past weekend I had the privilege of seeing this picture painted ever so masterfully. In all reality, I can't even fully do the story justice as I only know pieces of it all...but this couple went through it all. From the beginning - this bride and groom were working hand in hand with friends to make every detail personal and delightful. Handmade everything it seems...from flowers to desserts, the details were impeccable. The ceremony location to tie it all together? Bicentennial Mall ampitheatre overlooking downtown Nashville with reception at the Nashville Farmer's Market. Can you say GORGEOUS? They could...until the flood came. Three weeks out - and their dream ceremony location = ravaged.

All in all, it came down to the week of and going with Plan C - and this was not with a wedding coordinator pulling out all the stops. Rather...it was a bride and groom keeping their day to day schedules and their friends uniting together to make it all happen. And allow me to assure you - it did NOT look thown together last minute. It had unparallelled elegance and precision that even the best have a hard time attaining.

The highlight though...? The souls that created the safety net all together in one place, celebrating the love and joy that could not be subdued.

As I sit here and try to put into words the experience I had only a few short days ago I find words extremely inadequate, as the only true representaion of that night was the communal warmth that was bursting at the seams. So much joy, so much life - all shared in celebration of matrimony.

The food and attention to detail were epic - but the picture of community will stick in my mind forever.

**Keep an eye out for more from this wedding tomorrow afternoon**

Mister and Misses Cox.

Allow me to share some bullet points from the amazing wedding day of Donnie & Rachel Cox.

• He's a rock star. (Plays keys for Jeremy Camp)
• She saves childrens lives for a living. (Pediatric trauma nurse at Vanderbilt)
• He chased her for a LONG time...successfully.
• During pre-ceremony pictures, a bird pooped on him. True story. Left shoulder.
• Brad Paisely happened to be nearby, so he wished them well and was kind enough to pose for a picture.
• The reception was catered by Barbara's...if you aren't familiar with Nashville, you have no idea what that means and how awesome it is.
• There was a bride + brother interpretive dance to the theme song of Free Willy.
• To top off what was already a ragin' party - for the first time ever (that we know of) there was a SONIC bar! That's right - SONIC brought in 4 flavors of limeade!

I really don't need to say much more. Donnie & Rachel are amazing...and I'm thankful to call them my friends.

Seton Celebration

Each year, Saint Thomas Health Services holds the annual Seton Celebration which benefits patients in need at Baptist and Saint Thomas Hospitals. This year it was held at the beautiful Schermerhorn Symphony Center in downtown Nashville. Not only is it an impressive sight, but the philanthropy in the air is more than refreshing. Needless to say...I was more than honored to be part of and capture the event. A sincere thank you to Jenny Richter Special Events for bringing me out for this one. Here's a few from the evening:

An offering of art.

Not too long ago I was asked to go into the studio with some good friends (and phenomenal artists) to document the recording process of a special project. These sessions were an offering of the artists time and talents to simply make great music/art and then to give it away freely to the people they walk through life with on a daily basis. Thanks to Journey church for asking me to be part of such a wonderful collaboration.

If you're interested in the incredible music made, you can download the 4 tracks for free by going here.

Fire trucks rule, girls drool.

Shooting 2 & 4 year olds birthdays isn't really my forte, but it was boys only and they had a fire truck...how could I say no?

Insecure Identity = Question Dodging.

Every time I meet somebody new, I struggle instensely within as it relates to my identity, as it never fails - the following question will arise:

"So, what do you do?"

I get it. Most people are trying to engage in smalltalk, and are trying to find some common ground to connect on - which I find no qualms with. I do believe however, that to most, that question is really just a rewording of "What is your job?" and thus, the majority of responses look like this: "I'm a _______."

Can I just be honest for a moment though? I loathe that question.

For those of you that don't know - I am not a full-time creative. I work from 8 - 5 in a cubicle, with slacks and a tucked-in ironed shirt where I have to shave on a semi-regular basis and even occasionally answer the phone with a generic greeting. Technically my title is 'Marketing Director' but let's be honest, I only direct myself and I answer to my bosses - so it sounds flashier than it really is. Last but not least, as soon as I say '...for a private financial planning company' I'm in most cases immediately off any person's radar as a creative.

There's this lathargic part of me that occasionally just wants to give in to the status quo and say "Oh, I'm the Marketing Director for a private financial planning company" and continue on with the conversation. There's also the part of me that sometimes blurts out "I'm a photographer" and I then engage my 'one-day-I-will-be' brain (yes, I do plan on pursuing the depths of full-time creative in the future). Really though, neither of those are truth - and therein lays my struggle.

See, this post was spurred on by two quotes really, the first of which I have written on a yellow sticky stuck up in my cube (sorry, I forgot the reference):

The other quote I came across while reading an article on PDN's website called 'How To Quit Assisting and Be a Photographer' was this:

"There have been times when, if I'd had a back-up plan, I might have taken it. But I never had a back-up plan. I'd rather be a poor photographer than someone making a lot of money at a

9 to 5 job."

If only I could...then I could...and it would be...

Sigh.

We all have our own complexities and longings in life, and my tension resides here. One (very large) part of me wants so badly to leave my secure and blessed job to pursue the life I believe I'm (eventually) called to live out - the life of a creative. Then of course, there is that (for now) more responsible and sane side of me that wakes up and irons every morning, keeps my beard in check, and plops down into my cubicle - keeping 'my hand to the plow' as I like to call it.

Here's the thing - far from settling, I think I'm actually beginning to be ok with where I am. Not that I don't have these intense longings and get completely frustrated sometimes, but it's more of a 'Hey, I am where I am, and everything is going to play itself out just fine if I just practice some patience and stay diligent.'

So, next time our paths cross, forgive me if I ignore the status quo, and just feel the need for some authentic dialogue:

You: "So, what do you do?"

Me: "You know, that's a great question. Actually - what I do is I wake up every morning and try to love and serve my family the best way I know how right now. I shower, (occassionally) shave, I iron my shirt - and I go to work in a cubicle so that I can pay our bills and put food on the table. I also am constantly in touch with my visionary and creative side - the one that longs to create and capture stories all day long and help build the artistic bridge between despair and hope. Most importantly, I try my best to not let any of that define me, because tomorrow it may all change, and all I'm really trying to do is learn how to just love people...people like you."

Thanks so much for asking.

Driving Home.

Sometimes it's the most mundane activities that we are inspired by...Don't ignore the ordinary.

Pictures snapped on my iPhone using Hipstamatic camera app.

Love is in the (cold) air.

This past weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to not only see an old friend, but also had the privelege of capturing her and her military beau. Meet Ally and Drew.

Ally and I first met while wearing matching green aprons at some coffee joint you've probably driven by once, twice, a million times in your life. I was about to get married, and had no job...why not serve coffee to addicts for pennies? Perfect! I digress...

Anyways, another fine person that worked alongside us was a lovely gal named Rachel, whom you may remember from this wedding. Rachel married Eli, who before getting hitched to Rachel, was military roommates with Drew. You can connect the rest of the dots.

So here we are - celebrating warm fuzzies and anticipating what is shaping up to be a kickin wedding in Savannah, GA this May. Look out for those later, but until then, enjoy these little nuggets.

Snowed in.

This is the productivity that happens when you have a snow day...

Her story is:

common

unique

hopeful

tragic

beautiful.

The concept of our lives as a story is exceptionally intriguing to me. When I pull my perspective lens on life back far enough, it seems that things actually fall into place...the tide is much more fluid.

Not too long ago, I was approached by some of my peers to take part in a 'story team' of sorts. The goal was relatively simple: creatively represent and bring light to some wonderful stories that are being lived out by those among us.

The project isn't completely done yet, but I wanted to go ahead and share some stills, as well as introduce you to Cathryn, our first story. You can read a bit about her here. I'll absolutely be posting again when the project is done, so keep an eye out for it. Until then, let me say that I am honored to take part in this - and to Cathryn: thank you for your vulnerability. It has richened us all.