2013 >> january >> february

january is ending >>  february is beginning
some notes and reflections 

at winter solstice, i sketched a rough plan for 2013, or rather: some guiding themes / thoughts for the new year:

- noticing the small moments
- revisiting and revising
- reading around the world

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noticing the small moments >>  a month of mindful videos 

with that in mind, i went to a lake not far from here, a place i visited once in summer. and walking there, found this reflection spot, took some photos, and then saw a swan approaching, and switched the camera to film.



that's how the swan lake video happened - and with it, the idea to join the mindful writing challenge in january with videos, a format that is rather new to me. so glad about this idea, and the way it gave january an own, fresh tune.

for me, the task to create a daily video, the noticing and filming of small moments, not only opens my eyes, but also my ears: i got more conscious about sounds. when i saw something that might be interesting to film, i first stood and listened. the videos also brought me to new places, places that were just some steps away from my normal paths, open and free, like this, one of my favs: swing moment.



yet video isn't easy, with its combination of image and sound and movement. sometimes i thought: i don’t know what to film next. it would be so much easier in summer, with the flowers in the garden and blue skies and more outdoor time – but then on the other hand, it was good to have this challenge in winter time, and find the everyday moments in them. we need them more in winter anyway, as in summer when they lurk at every corner. and actually, even in winter, those moments are all around us, just waiting to be noticed.

here are all videos, collected in a playlist (something i learned to do during january, and blogged about: how to create a playlist)




a month of mindful videos >>; photoblog & blueprintreview "small moment" issue

photoblog... from the videos, i will move to photography again, but with the theme of newness in mind. which now made me switch templates in my photoblog, to one that shows the photos in large size, and adjsuts the frame color automatically. it gives the photos a touch of being put up in a gallery. below, a screenshot of the first February photo, which is a revisited photo from last year, now in mirror version. and here's the photoblog link: participation




blueprintreview... and just like the swan moment brought the idea for the month of videos, and the sharing with others in the 2 january group happenings "mindful writing" and "30 in 30", this month now brought an idea for february: to get back to blueprintreview and start a new issue, one that follows the theme of january: small moments, in words and images. proper blog entry to follow in the blueprintrevie blog, but the one thing i thought about a couple of times is how to keep it manageable - with the extra project work i'm doing since last year, handling a full issue with open submissions made me hesitant. so i guess that the possible solution is to organize this issue by invitation. the first files already arrived, and working on the blueprintreview pages made me realize how much i missed it.


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PS: more to come & timelines 
there's more to say and note and reflect on, but as this has grow rather long already, and there's also quite a bit to note about the next points (revisiting&revising the manuscript of my first book Masala Moments, and reading world books), i will continue this reflection in separate posts.

also, the question is how to name this month:
January: month of mindful videos
February: month of ?

and i think i will start a tag for these monthly reflections.. or rather, pick up one that already exists, to include the revisting, too: timelines