random thoughts: a change of scenery

So I have this Dark Side.

Marcus and my friend Maile call this side of me "Klaus" -- the one they say is the "anti-Chookooloonks."  They take this side of me in good humour (I think), despite the fact that this is the part of me that is irritable with the entire world.  It's the one who gets angry with the television anytime a politician crosses the screen, or a negative bit of media crosses my path, or someone cuts me off on the road.  Klaus is curmudgeonly.  Klaus is misanthropic. 

Klaus is not cute.

Last week, Klaus was raging.  Everything was getting under my skin.  I had all these projects that were going and I knew I should be excited about them, but I couldn't help it -- the news and the media were taking over my life so that I couldn't enjoy my own projects, and there was this angry pall that was just hanging over everything.  Everybody who crossed my path was on my last nerve.  By the time I got on the flight to Salt Lake City, I was starting to irritate me.

And then I landed.

I mentioned last week that Salt Lake City feels like taking a great big deep breath, and the same can be said of the Altitude Design Summit.  I don't know how Gabby & her team do it, but they put on the most chill, inspiring conference out there.  I stayed in an awesome hotel (shown above), I met great people, I hung out with old friends, and by the time I was on the flight back to Houston, I didn't even mind the two-hour delay on the runway because of snow and de-icing.  I was a different woman.

And now, I'm back home, my to-do list is shockingly long, and I'm completely buried.  And yet? Now I'm excited about my projects.  It's like being round all those creative people gave me a brand new, fresh perspective.  I can't wait to tackle my work.

Amazing what a change of scenery can do.

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And now, to business:

First, according to Random.org, the winner of the awesome 16"x20" print artist Kal Barteski created from my words, "wildly convinced you're uncommonly beautiful," along with a signed copy of The Beauty of Different is Cathy Walters, who said "love the poster! love the message! :) Thanks for the chance to win."  Congratulations, Cathy!  Please check your inbox for an email from me getting all your mailing deets.  (And everyone else: the prints are a limited run and going to go quickly, so if you'd like one, please preorder now!)

Secondly, if the thought of getting a bit of monthly photo inspiration, along with a bit of photography instruction while you help change the world is something that appeals to you, please take a look at gratitude.2012, and consider subscribing.  If you sign up now, you'll be just in time for the February newsletter.  I'd love to have you.  (And I promise, Klaus is nowhere to be found.)

Song:  Rolling in the deep by Adele