Bethany Speaks » me

Day one of FULL TIME!

dbkayak — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:35:42 +0000

What an unimaginable blessing. I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am now that I am not working for someone else, but rather for myself, my husband, my future, and my brides. It is a feeling that is unmatched. Today started like any other day, but there was a feeling of calm about me. I enjoyed some tea with my husband, tidied the house, did my hair(!!), started a workout program, created an organizational system for my daily to-do’s and meal planning. I stayed on top of the dishes, ate raw whole foods, did an hour of social media work for Charles River, replied to all my emails, and thats just the beginning honestly. I can’t believe how happy I am just being able to take care of everything that we really need to do in our lives, and still be able to have time with Dan and is uninterrupted by work. Whew… this is amazing so far.

The Daily to do list for now: http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/12/free-daily-planner-new-habits-free-daily-planner-printable/

The Workout: http://www.bodyrock.tv/2012/01/02/day-1-of-our-30-day-challenge-fit-test/

Happy Bethany!

Today was an important day.

dbkayak — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:26:19 +0000

Today I spoke with my Bosses at my day job and let them know that I would be leaving in March. My reason is that our photography business has replaced my job, both financially as well as time-wise. Being a wedding photographer as my full-time sole profession has been a dream of mine for years. We have been photographers for a little while now but I have always felt like it was incomplete in a way. The feeling of not trusting it to sustain us is very real. It’s hard to just take a leap and go for it financially speaking. We have had many roller coasters with that, in regards to following dreams. It almost seems as if we dont feel like ourselves if we are not taking big leaps in life. Quitting my day job is a leap for me. I must say, even though the job is not bad at all, it feels incredible to be out on my own… going for it. It feels like me.

i know i know….

dbkayak — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:59:00 +0000

sheesh. its true. ive been absent. ive been out of touch. ive been… living (gasp).

it seems that ive been too busy to blog right? well… thats actually not the case. ive been mind-numbingly bored actually. the kind of bored that makes you actually UNproductive rather than PROductive. its a crying shame. i cant seem to get a job, even tough ive put in numerous applications, send out many resumes, even had an interview, and worked 2 days as a dishwasher and never got called back. are you telling me that im not even a good enough dishwasher for the job. please. please. please. explain. anyways, this has cause me much turmoil and increased my rate of depression by high levels. how it is exactly that a college educated, reasonable, prudent, person cannot find work? i know its common these days but its really bringing on the stress. .. and more sadly… the sadness.

what to do? try and DO something. im going work on our business (which is really going to happen. for sure. wanna hire us?) and also work on me. i joined a gym here where i learn to punch and kick a punching bag in numerous ways. im going to paint the trailer and thus give it a new lease on life… and… im actually going to try and BLOG more

whoohoo right? right.

here’s a photo of Dan out doing something:

we are here!!!

dbkayak — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 03:51:20 +0000

So finally we are moved to the beach. its a bit overwhelming for sure, but its going to be worth it. Dan is here working already. I still have a few jobs to shoot with tracy turpen photography before i can officially be here for a while. I get to be here for this weekend though and that is good. i am shooting a wedding with a photographer from Malibu and i get to keep all the photos from my portfolio, so i can build one! that makes me happy. I absolutely cant wait to start the business.

in other news… o wait. there really isnt any other news other than moving to the beach and working working working. its all consuming.

it will be very very nice when we finally get to slow down a bit.. but we never really do that honestly. thats ok with me.

the happenings and goings ons so far

dbkayak — Thu, 20 May 2010 17:49:27 +0000

Much information to disclose!

Ever since we finally got all settled in our apt here in the triangle, we have been feverishly making plans for the future. We just cant be settled yet. I guess we are simply planners and goal setters. Conversation after conversation led us to the conclusion that we would go for opening up our own business in January.

drum roll please

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY!!!

That gives us 7 months to get on the ball. We have to decide where we want to launch this bad boy, where we want to live, a name for the business, logo, personality, branding, and everything else that goes along with it. I want to do this right, straight out of the starting line.

To prepare, i have been interning under the phenomenal Tracy Turpen. Her work is banana’s, as you will surely discover if you hit up her website and/or blog. No really. She will blow your socks off. I have already been to 3 weddings in this position and I am LOVING it. There is just something about a bride. I dont know what it is yet, but i have been teary eyed at each one so far. It’s hard to describe how blessed i feel to be working with her. I have been a huge fan of hers for at least 2 years now. Dan and I talked about how ridiculously perfect it would be if i could only learn from her. We dreamed about it the whole kayak trip even though she never announced the possibility of having an intern. It felt like fate when she made the announcement 2 weeks before we landed in Key West. Applying for it was my only motive when we got home. . and, like a gift from God, i got it! It’s a lot of work but it’s going to be so worth it. It already is. We’re going to rock this!

Suggestions for names for the photography business are gladly accepted. Dan and I are really excited.. obviously.

Ideas as of right now include: d&b, d&b imagery, daniel rose photography, in cahoots photography (with an owl as the logo), daniel gray photography, bethany gray photography… and so on.

wondering

dbkayak — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:10:00 +0000

snapshot, originally uploaded by bpmuzik.

Ive been busy as all get out here lately but its not nearly as overwhelming as it first was.

We have our apartment in semi-working order if you ignore the room full of: bins of outdoor gear, Christmas decorations, home decorations, stuffed animals, childhood relics, and scrap booking keepsakes that are not in scrapbooks as of yet. o well. you cant win em all can you?

We are also toying with the idea of moving. Why you ask? An exciting business opportunity has opened up for me and commuting 5 hours does not appeal to either of us. Now if only Dan can get a job there too… we might be packing all this stuff up all over again, u-hauling it 5 hours south, and unpacking. perhaps.

In other news, I have FINALLY organized all of our trip photos, which was a BEAR of a job. I SAT for a whole day, right here, at the computer. Felt lazy and extremely productive at the same time. Now as soon as we find out which ones we are going to have published, I can sort through them, edit them, and upload them in a tasty chunk so you can see the wonderfulness that we got to see alllll the way from Canada to Key West.

Side note: I really really want a doggie. And a kitty. And some new lenses and a flash for my camera. just fyi

do you think that…

dbkayak — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 03:40:52 +0000

do you think that all this politeness in our society deadens that real personality that you might posses otherwise, thats a bit out of the ordinary but still really really fun?

And so 2010 begins!

dbkayak — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:58:52 +0000

I love New Years Day.

New Years Eve tends to be a let down if I have expectations of going out, looking thin, sparkly, stilleto-ed, drinking cosmos with the girls…. since those things dont tend to flesh out. One, i do not own a cocktail dress, much less a sparkly cocktail dress. Two, i do not have a crew of girls like sex in the city… Three, i dont tend to have a place to go and enjoy these New Years festivities that seem like iconic fluffy, off in the distance, type of things.

This year we stayed in, enjoyed the company of William, Jamie, Charlie, and Sam. It was just right, not a let down, and relaxing. PLUS i got a little buzz from the alcohol that William provided. I cant complain. Yay for new years eve.

Now back to New Years itself. I love it! I love it because it means a fresh start! I didnt exactly need a fresh start from anything bad in last year but i can say it feels oddly good to have the epic kayak trip in the past… and to be more exact, in the past year! I feel like 2010 has given me newfound power for become Bethany… the more-than-a-kayaker-Bethany, that i see myself as.

Here’s to 2010! *cheers*

longing is consuming

dbkayak — Thu, 07 May 2009 18:54:20 +0000

I am such a girl. let me just tell you…

I love home. I love making a home. I love nesting. I talk about it with Dan all the time. Since we dont HAVE a house or an apartment or a roof over our heads, its practically all we talk about. ok. thats an exaggeration… but we do talk about it all the time. We pretty much know exactly what we want in a house/home/living space and what colors and what furniture style for when we finish this epic trip. Its so fun to dream and think about it. It serves for hours of entertainment.

Must haves:
front porch- essential! southern style with rocking chairs and even a swing. hammock perhaps? table for placing iced sweet tea on and a good view for watching

jacuzzi tub in master bath- one luxury that we will not skimp on. it will be our first renovation to the first house we buy. count on it.

garage or shed- mainly for holding all the water crafts and toys that im sure we will continue to accumulate. boats, boards, and all the things that go with them… which is a lot

chalkboard in kitchen- either with chalkboard paint or an actualy chalkboard… i have always loved these

only one tv- not in the bedroom, bathroom, kids/guest rooms, and hopefully not in the living room. maybe a tv room?

one day right?

“Make it happen”

dbkayak — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:22:27 +0000

i realized today that i have no idea who even reads this thing. i mean it could be total strangers, very far off connections, best friends, family… who knows? i thought about going back to having a private blog for a little while but decided against it. It made me a little nervous having a very public, for all the world to see, blog but then I realized that it doesnt really matter who gets to see the real me. It’s probably a very good thing. Its good that i cant fake it. I have no idea who reads the inner thoughts of me… and therefore i cant pretend to anyone, that im someone im not. I like that. I enjoy that kind of honesty. if you do read this blog… i invite you to comment every once and a while though. I love comments. who doesnt?

anyway…

Dan and I have really started to dig in with our trip planning. It’s beginning to take shape and i am really excited about heading out. I feel so much more confident about actually being able to complete this thing, now that we have Maine almost completely done. We have sponsors. We have experience. We have places to stay. I think this will be awesome. We got a blackberry tonight in hopes that we can stay more in touch, as well as do research on the trip without having to get to a library. That should really make things a lot easier. I cant wait to go actually. WOOHOO for adventure.

Speaking of adventure, I decided on a new life slogan for myself. I am in love with the idea of going for it. I love it when people, abandoning good reason and logic, go for thier dreams. I believe that is how most epic and amazing feats began afterall. Edison, Newton, Lewis and Clark, Lincoln, etc etc etc… thanks to “going for it” we’ve got a lot more in our own live to appreciate. It’s my personal mission to let people in on a little secret… that they actually can do that “thing” that they have always wanted to do. I know its hard when youve got bills and kids and jobs and habits and expectations and etc etc etc BUT… i believe that STILL wouldn’t prevent most dreams from happening. I mean really, cut the cable tv. live with one car.. or a bike for that matter, dont buy new stuff that you like but dont need, dont go out to eat, save, and make it happen. It all depends on how bad you want it and how much you love your current comforts. I wont put up with the excuse of not being able to not shop… because if you know me, you know that spending almost no money up here in maine has been a ridiculous challenge of nearly epic proportions. It has been worth it though. I know it has. I love what we are doing and I love that we are making it happen.

So the life slogan is, after much review and many drafts, “Make it happen.”

thoughts? complaints? excuses?