Changing Perspective

I just made myself some hot chocolate.  Hot chocolate, people!  It is actually cold here in the desert.  Ok, cold might be an exaggeration compared to some places, but I will tell you that it is currently only 6 degrees warmer here than it is in Fairbanks, Alaska.  That is sort of cheating, it is really warm in Fairbanks right now. But, it's eleven degrees colder in Portland right now than it is here.  And it's snowing.  Wait, what was I talking about?  The point is that its sort of cold here, but you won't hear me bitching about it because I would take this over 110 degrees any day.

This is exactly the kind of photo my angsty teenage self would take.  We didn't have instagram back in those days, you whipersnaper!   I had to wind the film myself!

I have been in a bit of a funk recently, and having a hard time keeping my negative thoughts at bay.  I've been asking myself what would make me happier.  One of the things I have been missing about Portland is that I could walk out my door and walk down the street, and it would almost always make me happy.  It could be walking through the hills of my SW Portland neighborhood and looking out over the city and Mount Hood, or it could be the Portland Waterfront, only a few blocks from our apartment near downtown.  It could be the nighttime treks that we took home after a night out, after the streetcar shut down.  It could be walking down NW 21st, popping into shops and cafes.  It could be the Irvington neighborhood in NE Portland, while I marveled at those huge, old houses, wondering who used to live there.   No matter where it was, I loved being there.  And I haven't found that feeling in Phoenix.  But I have to admit that I haven't been trying very hard to find it either.

So far the best part about Arizona is the sky

 So today, I decided it was time to try a little harder.  I took a short walk in my neighborhood to let a little sunshine in and try to clear away the cobwebs.  I realized that the awe of everyday beauty was sadly lacking in my life.  So I gave myself an assignment to try to find something beautiful or interesting.  Although I didn't quite recapture the everyday beauty that I used to find in Portland on this particular walk, I did see a few things that I found instagram worthy.  And when I stopped to check the mail, I got a letter from my BFF. Then at the end of the walk, I saw a beautiful hummingbird.  So I ended the walk with my spirits significant;y lifted, and I felt like I had successfully completed my assignment.

Speaking of that hummingbird, I tried tot take a photo, but that thing was fast.  I am so excited because soon I will be able to take photos with a REAL CAMERA!  K got me a super awesome camera for Christmas  but it arrived damaged and needed repairs so we had to send it off to Canon to get fixed up.  I just checked on the status and it should be here tomorrow!  So, these may be some of the last iphone photos you have to endure.  But probably not, I bet I will still sneak an iphone photo in now and then.

Zoomed in close up of the hummingbird