Today, people in Grand Rapids will be celebrating one of the city’s greats: Dr. John “Johnny” MacKeigan, who died Sunday of advanced-stage cancer. Dr. MacKeigan, was a prominent surgeon in the city for decades, was former vice president and chief medical officer for Spectrum Health, co-authored dozens of publications, and served on countless boards. He … More A Legacy of Kindness
Hard to believe, but the month of February is almost history, so now comes the moment of truth. Time to check in and see how did we do with the One Month/Two Things challenge? And also to reflect on the past month, and see what was learned about the creative process, where the roadblocks are … More The “One Month/Two Things Challenge”: How Did We Do?
Well, Hello! It feels nice to be writing here again after a long hiatus (during which, we rearranged our life a bit—new job, new state.) But more about that in a future post, because what I really want to write about now is creativity. There is an irony in most of our “To-Do” Lists, and … More On Painting and Taxes: Making Creativity a Priority
As tempting as getting trampled in a Black Friday stampede sounds, we opted instead to stay home and do almost nothing this Thanksgiving holiday. Of course we managed to cook and stuff ourselves on Thanksgiving day, but after that we mostly stayed in our pajamas, lazing around on the couch and watching that game where … More Time to Read
Is it just me, or has this year’s autumn light been beyond phenomenal? It’s like it’s golden hour all day long! To make sure that I don’t miss a photo op, I’ve been toting my camera everywhere. This cloud caught my eye in the parking lot at Target. So when my camera crapped out in … More “Lens Error” Terror
It’s been a tough time for us Mac folks. Losing Steve Jobs feels personal, it hurts. It hurts because he was a visionary who left us too soon. It hurts because the happy Mac icon has been our friend and constant companion through the years. And it hurts because of how bravely Jobs faced cancer, … More Are Your Dots Connecting?
It was a typical morning. I awoke at the usual time, but found that I was already behind schedule. There were dishes to wash from the night before, kid lunches to pack, a writing deadline, and a ton of office work. Just an ordinary Mom/Freelancer kind of day. But when I tried to start my … More Embrace the Cloud
March used to be my launching pad, the month that would send me hurtling through the friendly skies, landing with a thud on a sun-drenched beach. From the drab and dreary depths of late winter in Chicago, I would get the call to do an assignment in Miami or Puerto Rico or the Cayman Islands, … More From Puerto Rico to a Dried Out Pineapple
Some years back, after a particularly dry work spell, I got the chance to direct for a new, national television show. I was thrilled for the opportunity, and a little intimidated. My first assignment, a one-day shoot in Memphis, went well. Praising my work, the production coordinator booked me on another shoot. This assignment would … More The Freezer Shot: Adventures in Perfectionism
Last Friday, I faced a difficult choice: pack my bags and hop a plane to St. Louis for a freelance shoot, or stay home and care for my daughter who had come down with stomach flu. As compelling as stomach flu is, I thought to myself, we could really use the money. This wasn’t a … More Hard Choices, Soft Landings
The Harmony of Opposites 