Whew. How about that curveball in our beautifully laid plans for 2020? I'm sure I'm not alone in my surprise at how swiftly life has shifted for us in Michigan. Parks are closed. Schools. Dine-in. Sandy, the penny horse at Meijer is gone. I was supposed to fly out for spring break today. It was supposed to be a joyful and exciting day- with me stressing about whether or not I forgot something. I had plans to photograph palm trees and take senior portraits on location in Charleston, SC.

And now this. 

I've seen on social media that some of you are using this isolation time to cull and organize photos. Fantastic! Approved! Whether digital or in print, it is a good time, if you have spare time, to edit your photos. I see comedians and funny memes about people showing their photos in the future and there are 17 photos of their dinner one night. Who needs that? Select the best image if you need to keep those at all. Or if it takes 25 selfies to land the one you'll post- get rid of the other 24. Cloud storage is "cheap" but extra photos that you'll never need are still clutter.

Attachment-1-1A grammar ticket book! How fun! I love words, writing, and grammar.

I quietly moved out of my studio last fall. This opened me up to the temporary opportunity that I took at the University of Michigan. What was to be a two month assignment kept me busy for five. While at U-M, I worked in the Pathology Communications Department. I took photos, but did more writing. It was very interesting and I was constantly learning more. It was a huge joy for me to see my skill set applied in an existing institution. I do have marketable skills! ;) I called it quits just before these social distancing rules were put into place, knowing that I wanted to return to freelance photography.

It's difficult to make plans when we don't know how long these limitations on our lives will last. I'm sure, we're all making sacrifices for the greater good. Yet, I see that small businesses all around are grappling with lay offs and closures etc. The good news is: because I significantly reduced my expenses last fall, I'm doing okay. LAF Lines Photography will exist when this all blows over and we resume our lives. 

While you're confined to your couch, please make a list of what you want to do when the protections are lifted. Create a list of people you'd like to see, restaurants you'd like to visit, small businesses you wish to support, and projects you want to tackle. And when this is all over, check off that to-do list with hearts and smiley faces. Because this will end. And we will live freely once more. Until then, stay safe. Keep creative. xo.