Tag: life

life, photography

If we take the time to look: life truly is AMAZING…

stanley & bear

How often do we take the time to strip away what can be defined as difficult times, only to reveal a different truth to the one we thought we knew?
Yes, that sentence is quite complex. But think about it. We can often think we’ve been dealt a tough hand, a bad deal, a horrible time.
Define it how you will, but it comes down to thinking life has not always been kind.
This may well be true in part.
But look deeply. Look hard. What do you really find?
Personally. At this moment, as I sit here listening to music and lolling through old images on the 23rd of May, 2014. I come to a realisation about life.
I’ve had an amazing life.
I’m truly one of the lucky ones.
I’ve travelled. I’ve lost. I’ve cried. I’ve laughed.
I’ve LOVED. And I’ve been LOVED.
What more could I want?
Here’s a few of my favourite images, taken by me and for me that depict a great life.
Life truly is amazing!
Embrace it!

Always…

Abu Dhabi
My beautiful boys – Love….
Beautiful Amy…
Dinner at Peters,Taiwan xxx…
Abu Dhabi
World Cup, Sth Africa
Sydney
Taiwan xx
LA
LA
HOme…
Africa
Africa
Africa
Big Bear
Who knows…
life

A catalyst for change…

stanley & bear

When life deals us what we define as a cruel card, we are left crumbled and broken in its wake. But what if we were to look at that card as a catalyst for change?

Could that seemingly catastrophic chain of events be nothing more than a key that unlocks the door to personal freedom? And by personal freedom I refer to freedom from those voices that have haunted you for years. Those voices who told you, you were not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough or loved enough.

What if that event allowed you to see you, for you. Allowed you to listen to your soul and hear just how fabulous you really are.

Because you are.190712_jenhammer_0446

It allowed you to see that you fit. You fit perfectly with yourself, and your self is all that matters.

And best of all. What if that so-called catastrophic event allowed you to forgive? And to say the words:I forgive you and I send you love.

And in the words of the wonderful Julia Stone:

The story is different now…but its all okay, for love will find a way to be where love is.

Shadows
Shadows

life

Weekly Photo Challenge: Selfie

stanley & bear

Until recently I was living in Penghu, an island of the coast of Taiwan. As one of only a handful of foreigners, I mainly had only my ‘self’ for company, which meant if I wanted to be in an image, it had to be a selfie.

Just the thing for a chilly winter morning…
An unintentional self portrait
And again, trying to set up to film a video.
Shanshui beach, Taiwan…
life

Life on Penghu: the good, bad and ugly (well not really ugly)…

stanley & bear

I’ve been living on Penghu for just over a week now and interestingly enough I feel like I’m starting to fit. Contrary to what I wrote in an earlier post about it probably taking a while to feel like it’s home, the last few days it’s starting to feel exactly that, like home. And like any home, it has its good, bad and ugly.

Here’s my list so far. I’m sure it will change, which is the exact reason I wanted to compile this list, so here it is, in no particular order.

THE GOOD

1. The incredible kindness of the Taiwanese people.

2. Hearing my kids chant, ‘Good afternoon Teacher Jen’.

3. Being told about a bakery that bakes REAL baguettes, then tasting them. (You would understand this simple pleasure if you had been subjected to the bread here).

4. Inventing a recipe of sweet potato, garlic and rice (seriously delicious).

5. The kindness of my fellow teacher, Asha: thank you from the bottom of my heart.

6. Buying Francine, my 100 cc scooter and then having the wonderful Asha teach me to ride.

7. Not having to wear RED lipstick to work. (Or any make-up for that matter: oh the joy).

8. Having a 5 min walk to work, or a 1 minute ride on Francine.

9. Playing the dancing game with my kids and dancing like there’s no-one watching.

10. The simplicity of life on Penghu that is totally free of negativity.

11. The musical garbage truck, my nightly entertainment, ah life is full of such simple pleasures when one does not have a television or books. (A post featuring this is in the works, stay tuned).

12. Simply being free to be ME…

13. Learning and confidently saying thank you, hello, how much and I don’t understand in Chinese. (No easy feat, so I’m very proud of myself).

14. Being recognised by the Vegetarian vendor at the market. (Ahh, I’m finally unforgettable in someone’s eyes!)

15. The Everything Shop. (Seriously that’s its name and it literally has everything).

THE BAD

1. My rock hard bed. (My mother would LOVE it).

2. My crushed rock pillows. (A visit to The Everything Shop might soon be in order).

3. The relentless howling winds that are unforgiving to the unsuspecting. (Thankfully they die down in February, hmmmf only 2 months to go!).

Not too much on the Bad list and as for the Ugly, well I’ve yet to find that one…

The beautiful people…
Vivi…
The beautiful Petty….
My kids…
More of my kids…
more kids…
Dancing like no one is watching…
A little of the old…
Juxtaposition of old and new…
Yes, it looks comfy, lurking beneath is a rock hard bed and crushed rock pillows…
The howling winds claims a victim….

 

life

Wanderings with my IPhone….

stanley & bear

My teaching schedule here on Penghu is Mon-Fri from 4pm to 8.30pm, allowing me plenty of time to wander and explore my new surrounds. Sometimes I take my DSLR, sometimes just my IPhone…

Winding alleys…
Western style coffee houses
Fisherman proudly show off a seahorse
Fishing boats dot the harbour
Penghu harbour
Saving on wages perhaps?
My new local coffee place…
My new neighborhood…
Street vendors
Housing developments: the architecture is similar to Greece.
life

Taiwan bound, the journey begins…

stanley & bear

Life really does toss the odd curve ball, particularly when we least expect it. However, it is how we PLAY that ball that’s important. A few days ago I was thrown one such ball and rather than tossing it away, I have decided to run with it as far as it will take me.

Walking a new road..
Walking a new road..

That brings me to the subject matter of my post, for that ball I speak of, was an offer to teach on Penghu, an island off the coast of Taiwan. And the reason that ball is somewhat curved? It’s been thrown a little earlier than planned. You see for some time I have been gathering qualifications in the hope of living and teaching overseas when my youngest son finishes school in 2015. But with job opportunities at an all time low here on the Coast, and my darling boys giving me their full support, I started exploring. And I discovered Penghu.

So in 10 days, I shall begin a new chapter in my life. It will present challenges, I’m sure of that, yet I am also sure it will allow me to grow as both a woman and teacher, all whilst experiencing a new and very different culture.

life, photography

taking time…

stanley & bear

I’ve been so busy of late, busy trying to find a path in the road I travel. And in doing so, I’ve not found time to browse through WordPress and momentarily step into the lives of other wordpressers.

But that’s ok, they are still there and I like the idea that I can tap into their worlds, drink in their words, life and images, and in doing so, reconnect. That’s comforting.

I have however, had time to pick up my camera to shoot off a few images: a lingerie shoot for a friend who owns a boutique.

In doing so, I’ve taken the time to do what I love : and I love taking photographs…

…
Isobella
Isobella
lingerie…
photography

A boy and his camera: the results…

stanley & bear

My 15 year-old son Rob took his camera, his bike and his friend to the beach today: these are the images I found in the camera…

Yes I am a proud Mum, but I think his images are brilliant. And because of the ‘ripples’ he captured within his images, I felt they were fitting for Ailsa’s travel theme this week.

photography

Lost in the job hunting jungle…

stanley & bear

It’s a jungle out there. Honestly, it’s nasty and it has left me with a rather bitter taste.

Forest near Annecy, France
Forest near Annecy, France

Whatever happened to good, old fashioned honesty and a frank, yet friendly chat with a prospective employer?

Those days are gone. In their place, it’s all about how best you can perform, and I say that tongue in cheek. For it seems that in today’s job hunting jungle you have to bare your teeth, be prepared for a cold and vicious kill (of your opponents) and create a persona that defies who you really are.

As a freelance journalist who has an interest in what’s going on in the world, I decided to put it to the test. So I applied for a position, wrote a resume that highlighted my experience and landed an interview.

Off I went feeling quite good as the position on offer was something I could confidently perform and one in which I had experience.

I arrived 15 minutes early, donned in professional attire and waited patiently to be collected. As I waited, a number of other candidates of various ages joined me. What I noticed was that some of the candidates had chosen to dress somewhat differently to what I deemed appropriate. Forgive me, but I’m of the opinion that when attending an interview, clean hair, unscuffed shoes, and ladder free stockings are the order of the day, not to mention any visible piercings relating to the nose and or face, should be removed.

Not so.

As I surveyed my ‘competition’ I felt I would at least stand a chance considering my experience, (did I mention that already?) and my well presented appearance.

How wrong I was, for after three hours of being subjected to video footage of booze infested party’s and over zealous employees giving endless and dare I say, boring anecdotes of their ‘experiences’, I and and a few other well presented hopefuls were politely told that we did not make the cut. For a moment I thought it might have been another of their little jokes, simply adding to the others they had shared throughout the morning. No, we had definitely been given our marching orders.

So as I sat and watched the ‘successfuls’ stroll past in their scuffed shoes, pierced noses and bare legs, something occurred to me. I had not shared a single word, hello, how ya’ doin’ or even a little ‘tell me about yourself’ with a single member of the selection panel. Instead I had played a survivor in a plane accident, been asked to sell my wares (or the company in question’s wares) and filled out a form saying what city I was in, if standing next to the Louvre.

Yep, it’s a jungle out there: well it would be if I could only get the opportunity to let somebody here my roar. Or at least a little rant.

Ah c’est la vie. Onto the next chapter…