Random thoughts (11) "Once a Year"

Every year, I know I’m going to get hit by 1 big FLU-BUG and maybe if I’m lucky (unlucky) an additional 1 or 2 small 24-48 hour colds. Most of the time the big bug hits me around October or November, but this time I got it in the first week of January?!? It started with a sore throat that lasted about 2-3 days, then came the vicious cough that lasted for 4-5 days and after a while caused me to be light headed and really fatigued. Now if you ever had a really bad cough you know how bad it can make you feel. I started to think I was getting better when all of sudden my symptoms turned for the worst, I developed a slight fever, loss of appetite and the 1 symptom I hate the most: HEAD CONGESTION. I felt that my body left the faucet on in my nose and it just wouldn’t stop. As much as my nose was running I felt I couldn’t breath and no matter how much I blew my nose, I just couldn’t feel better. This cold/flu is one of the worst ones I’ve had to date, a couple of days ago I was at work and realized that I had gone through a large bottle of OJ and 2 boxes of tissue with no end in sight.
Generally when I get sick I don’t have the cough or the symptoms to restrict me from doing the things I “want” to do, but this time all I wanted to do was sleep! I ended up having to push back a lot of things I wanted to start this year: Photo Projects, Gym Time, Flag Football Games, Watching the NFL Playoffs and of course updating my Blog with Pics & My Random Thoughts. I’m happy to be feeling a lot better so I can continue my pursuit of making this year better than ever. I can only hope that with my Yearly visitor making an early appearance that it doesn’t decide to come by and make another visit this year. I’ll keep my fingers crossed!!!

-ML
© Michael Lopez

Mirrors: 1

"Mirrors 1"
My wife patiently waiting to go shopping. Fall Season, CA
© Michael Lopez

"Mirrors” is a series of Portraits taken with a different point of view."

Random thoughts (10) "New Years Resolution"

With the New Year, comes change:
A time to grow, a time to learn from today,
to avoid our mistakes from yesterday
and better ourselves for tomorrow...

I have made a ton of goals in my life, completed some and failed on many. This year is an important year to me for many reasons, but my biggest goal in life has always been to be happy. I know that being happy and being healthy comes hand in hand. As I get older I know that my body and mind is something I need to keep in “check” and its this reason why I have chosen exercise as my New Years Resolution.

To be more specific my New Years Resolution is to complete over 160 hours of CARDIO/EXERCISE and to eat BETTER. To break it down: its about 3 hours a week in the gym and to be more discipline on what i eat. I know its not much, but I have to start somewhere. I currently go to the gym about 2-3 times a week, but its mostly not goal oriented, just go in, workout and leave. On the eating front i have to cut out my two biggest problems: my sugar intake (SODA/SWEETS) and eating crap (FAST FOOD/SNACKS). I know if i can combine a better eating habit with a better goals in the gym, I can create a healthier ME!

I look at where I was 5 years ago and where I might be in 5 years with the pace that I’m currently at, its scary! I have to do this, not just for me, but also for my family/friends. I want to be able to look back to today, 5 years from know, reading this and thanking myself for what i have done. WISH ME LUCK!

...The best thing about today, is knowing I will be better tomorrow.

-ML

Thru My Eyes: 8

"Silhouette fireworks "
NYE Fireworks @ Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA
© Michael Lopez


"Thru my eyes” is a series of random photographs taken with various cameras to capture the moment the way I see them. This series is a way for me to continue to grow as a photographer and share with the world my views “Thru my eyes.”

Random thoughts (9) "A Look Back @ '09"

When I look back at ’09 I can, for the first time in my life realize how lucky I am, to be thankful for everything I have and to appreciate everyone close to me. With the way the global economy is in, with unemployment up and health care on the verge of changing, I can honestly say I grinded this year out and made it through healthy. This is not to say I had it easy, buy no means working semi-full time, wondering if myself or my wife will keep our jobs, fighting with mandatory days off and worrying about the Swine Flu, is“easy”. But through it all I know I one of the lucky ones; I watch the news every day and read news sites about how others, less fortunate than me are doing and I think to myself “what if that was me”?

With the New Year, I owe it to myself, my wife and family/friends to start living in today and not worrying about tomorrow. No one can predict what will happen, so the only way I can ensure I’m happy, is to do what I can and let everything else go. I can’t let anything hold me down.

On a brighter note, looking back at ’09 as an amateur photographer, ‘09 has opened the doors to my photo future. I was able to learn from a great teacher, I got inspiration from attending my first gallery and started on my first of soon to be many photo projects. ’09 also was a step in the right direction as I was able to produce some of my best shots to date and found a new joy in photography: WEDDINGS. I got 3 wedding under my belt for ‘09 and I’m doing all my research on becoming a better Wedding/Portrait Photographer.

My goals for 2010 are high, as my ambition has driven me mad to ensure I get better in all aspects of Photography. I want to shoot another 3 weddings and hopefully do one as the main photographer (I’ve been the secondary for my first 3). I would love to start & finish the 3 personal projects I have on paper, produce more shots and my main goal as a photographer is to start my own website.

I can only hope that this time next year I can write about how great O-10 was, how I accomplish my goals, how I’m happy were I am with my family and friends and not compare it the ’09 grind.

-ML