Creative recharges can come from surprising sources.

Anybody who knows me well knows I'm pretty much a Luddite when it comes to digital technology and I'm usually quite resistant to keeping up with the latest and greatest.  But after traveling with the Sallies for the last few years and hearing about (and frankly, witnessing) the wonders of the iPhone, I finally caved in and got one.  Wow.  Talk about falling hard.  In Utah I remember they always talked about how converts to Mormonism were the most hardcore.  I'm definitely a full-on proslytizer for the wonders of the iPhone.  The thing that's surprised me the most is that for the first time in my life, I love taking pictures - especially portraits.  I guess hanging around Tom all these years has rubbed off on me. Come to think of it, my Mom loves to paint portraits, too.  It's not like I haven't had cameras before - but I never really enjoyed them.  There's something about the iPhone camera and me that is totally clicking - and from what I've observed on Instagram that seems to be true for millions of people.

I have to say that for the past year or two I've been feeling a little burnt out creatively.  Not the performing kind of creativity, but the giving birth to a new and fresh idea, the lonely kind of songwriting creativity.  It just hasn't been calling out to me.  Intuitively I started to figure out that I'd have to do a kind of an end-run around songwriting and try to open myself up in other ways, and from that maybe the old muse would start to reappear.  I think it's working, but more than that, I'm opening myself up to the idea that there are so many more ways to express myself and that the best thing I can do is go towards what excites me - it will all work out in the end!

Here are some of my favorite portraits from the last few weeks in no particular order. If you follow me on Instagram (under the name Blame Sally) you might have already seen some of them.

Linda, Mati and I had an amazing "girl day" last week, that included Tilden Park, Thai Food, Korean Spa, Margaritas and was finished off with the most decadent ice cream sundaes ever!  Here is Linda after the spa - but before the ice cream :-)

Asha lives upstairs and we went for a walk the other day in Temescal.  Her Mom and Dad are our landlords, but we think Asha's really in charge. 

Beth and I have been in a book group together for about 15 years.  Isn't she gorgeous? 

Cat's are people, too.  This is Hissy Fit.  She lives outside and we've pretty much adopted her.  She's a little unpredictable, but when you turn the camera lens on her she acts like Marilyn Monroe. 

Mara is my wonderful, talented, beautiful niece.  You saw her in the "Bird in Hand"video, which she choreographed and danced in.  She lives about 10 blocks from me so last week we went to the Farmer's market together. 

Mati - she is my muse!  Since she moved into the neighborhood we've been hanging out a lot, so she is the victim of my camera quite frequently.  But I think she always looks beautiful - and she's game.  Here she is sitting among the purple flowers that reside a few houses away from me.  

Rosie is the indoor cat, and honestly, she's a bit of prima dona when it comes to posing.  You'd think she was being constantly hounded by the paparazzi the way she acts.  She is the opposite of Hissy Fit - but I caught her when she was ultra relaxed, before she could turn away in disdain.  

For once Tom is on the other side of the camera.  I've got tons of cute pictures of him - but this one feels like a good portrait of a photographer.


Okay - I've said it before and it wasn't true then, but I'm going to try to be a little more consistent with my blogging.  Next week Blame Sally heads to Germany for a month - plenty of good photo ops there! Check in on me!