I made a Mint Chocolate Latte. In my home. At 4am. I steamed Almond Milk with Mint Chip Califia Creamer. Added it to my Ember mug. Poured a Nespresso shot of espresso. Then, topped the mug off with more steamed almond milk.
Now, it sits by my laptop on my little glass writing desk at the edge of my blow-up mattress as I type. In my home.
For the last four years, my things have been in a storage unit. For the last year, I lived primarily in a family Mormon household where I had to leave the house each morning to get coffee. Funny. Do that for a while and making coffee at home is no longer a schmick to save a few dollars but the ultimate luxury.
Two cafe shifts I have remaining before I’m back to supporting myself, and my little family, on entrepreneurial income. I’ve wanted to do this for so long. My first real go lasted about four days before Clynn found a faster way to make money that overshadowed my desire to support the family. I’m grateful! It was fantastic and a whirlwind of an adventure, but this is something I’ve always wanted to prove I can do and do well on my own. It’s time.
I hate feeling like I have to be somewhere all the time. Feeling rushed and like I’m behind or might miss a responsibility. I’ve been living with that feeling nearly every day for the last year and it is so unnatural to me. Don’t worry, I don’t mind it with 4-6 months + notice for a wedding with weeks of editing between. Or even in my busiest years where my weekends were full of shoots but my weeks were full of recovery.
I’ll agree. I’ll bite, photogs and wedding industry professionals. The industry is not what it once was in 2019. But it is still alive and well. In new ways.
The post is drafted and ready to go but my primary internet source being my phone’s hot spot at the moment is not excited about uploading 60+ images for a wedding share. I am sure that post will go live later this week. But last weekend, I photographed the most beautiful Pagan & Polyamorous wedding on a stunning luscious green landscape with a bride in the most incredible beaded gown and guests frolicking in attire worthy of a renaissance fair. It was a ceremony life committal. No paperwork to be signed. A promise between life partners before friends and family and a celebration of love. Even amongst the most nontraditional, celebrating love in big ways will always prevail. We have job security in one of the most beautiful and varied traditions of humankind. Keep serving.
I briefly debated getting back on social media to market my full time return to the industry. However, I am aware that avenue of marketing is not for me during this chapter of life. My blog fills me with creative energy. I love the aesthetic of Pinterest. SEO and Google is a challenge and a time investment I enjoy. So, I will be here. Investing in my space, in my clients, and in my colleagues.
The boys spent the night at home a couple nights. I won’t be transitioning them to a new schedule until school is out in a couple more weeks. We are so ready for summer!
I, OfCourse, am lovingggg having my own kitchen to fill with all the healthy and quirky “Jackie Food”.
Bree (Love Your Haiir Co.) and I are traveling to Michigan for a wedding this weekend! We first met while I was photographing my first wedding back in 2015 and now our first big trip together is for a wedding, how fun is that? I’ll be sure to share how the trip goes as it is my first time being a guest at a non-mormon wedding since I became a photographer back in 2015. lol I am legitimately so excited to watch a wedding play out as a guest instead of someone helping run the show.
Anywho, I am here. Happy, loved, learning, supported. Scared shitless. Highly capable.
I have my girlfriend. I have a supportive Dom. We’ve got Dinah and the boys. My skills are growing. My passion is flowing. I’ll slay per usual and people will be “concerned” as I rake in the dough and confuse everyone how magical I am. We’ll wake up another year from now in awe.
Do I like this role? This part I play of “how does she do it?”. I tell everyone how I do it then they don’t believe me because of their own bias or limiting beliefs…I hide to get their negative unbelieving energy off me and continue on with my little pocket of people who dare to see me? I honestly don’t know some days. It is exhausting. Though, it is less exhausting in my castle in the city sky. Overlooking the sound drinking a homemade Mint Chocolate Latte.
Mint Chocolate Latte
Previous Posts:
