A new chapter

Life in Chicago so far has been good. A little over 3 months & it feels like a lifetime ago that things were really rocky. I wouldn't change the last 2 years for the world, as I have learned so much & have grown far beyond what I could express in one blog post, but I also wouldn't want to live those days again. I know that there will be hard times in the future, but ultimately I have learned that life is good and you can never have enough happy.

Did I miss the memo?

When did Engagement photos become the norm? Have they always been part of the wedding preparations? I don't remember every hearing about them until recently. Now don't get me wrong most of the ones I have seen are beautiful and I'm sure will be cherished. But also most of them are slightly cheesy and the couple doesn't look natural. My thought is that if you are at the stage in the relationship where you are engaged then you have spent a fair amount of time together and have pictures together that are a little more representative of you as a couple. Sure you might not have your hair perfect and he might be wearing your not-so-favorite shirt but at least it's more real than a picture of you guys frolicking in a field, that you stepped on for the first time (and probably last) holding hands and looking lovingly into each others arms. Cause let's be real a picture of you both with drinks in hand half laughing, on your way to getting drunk is definitely more representative of why you feel in love than that field you won't ever see again.

Photo courtesy of Google search "engagement photos"

Blue Moon August 2012

Sample Photography

Dock

Windsurfing

Nesting

In The Rocks

Sneaking a Peek

A New Generation

Oh Really?

Happy

Beach Love

Digital Technology Bringing You Down?

Well you aren't alone.

Take a minute to read this article. Share too much?

"They are not happy about where the world is going, and they are suspicious of digital technology. More than half of them think everyone should stop sharing personal thoughts and experiences online; they believe society needs to reestablish its privacy boundaries."  

That's what this study found the majority of people polled felt about digital technology. And here I thought I was the only one that wished I didn't know when Suzy told the Facebook world that she was going through yet another "really tough" breakup or when she found a song lyric that was "written just for me!!" 

In this article it says the study found that 70% of Millennials "believe that today's youth don't have a sense of personal privacy." 

Now let me take a moment to remind us all of who are the Millennials. Dictionary.com definition:

"a term used to refer to the generation, born from 1980 onward, brought up using digital technology and mass media; the children of Baby Boomers; also called Generation Y"

So if this generation who grew up knowing only a world of digital technology thinks there's too much digital technology and people need to dial it back, then maybe we should all stop, put our smart phones/iPads/laptops/iPods down. Then take a look around, maybe talk to the person sitting right in front of you, or actually pay attention to the road you are driving your 1000 ton vehicle down at 80 MPHs. Let's reconnect a little. Talk in more than 180 characters or less, without "super cute" emoticons and maybe with some real emotions (hence where emoticon came from). Find out why we wanted to be so extremely connected to these people we have as contacts and Facebook friends in the first place.

Words, words, wonderful words