Mondo Beyondo for 2010 and BEYOND-o

Have you heard about Mondo Beyondo? It’s all about dreaming big, really big, letting yourself say the big, wild, crazy dreams that are in your soul, the ones the gremlins shout the loudest at, the ones that scare the beejesus out of you because they are what you really want to pursue.

I  made a mondo beyondo list a while ago (pictured above), but I didn’t do anything with it. Because, well, it’s scary to announce your biggest, wildest dreams. But it’s not very Mondo or Beyondo if you don’t share them. If you don’t really release them out into the world. So, I finally feel ready to shout to the world, Hey world, these are my dreams. This is what I want in my life. I am going to make it happen, I’m ready! It seems like the right time to release these out into the universe. Especially since I have chosen Joy as my word of the year, and told the Universe in no uncertain terms on Dec. 31 that I intended to focus on creativity, fun and photography this year.

Here is my Mondo Beyondo list.

It reads:

I, Kelly Ann Shaw, do solemnly vow to make this come true.

Dear Universe,

I welcome your assistance and signs.

A photo show of my work in a gallery.

A successful photography business, both my portraits and my art photos

Time to really travel in Italy, Greece, Ireland, Spain

Publish a photo book of people I meet with their stories(this one surprised me a bit)

Have an awesome, life long love adventure with Brian

Publish several of my book stories

Not needing to work an office desk job because my photography and writing pays the bills

Support Brian emotionally as he grows his dreams

Run and finish a marathon

Get and stay in awesome shape

Spend time living on an island with B

Have a story published in a magazine with photos that I took

Pay off all our debt

Make enough to help my parents financially

The little details around the collage include:

Dream, hope, believe, Dream Big, reach for the stars, bloom, way to go, There are many wonderful things that will never be done if you do not do them.

Come on Universe, let’s get busy!

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Some recent magic moments

I have been encountering a lot of magic moments, little moments of serendipity and joy and fun…and oh yeah, a moment that gave me a big AHA! moment, one that put me more firmly on a path that I didn’t fully accept that I was on but now realize that I have been on this path for a while now. Considering both B and I have been feeling burnt out and on overload with everything that has been going on, and the wedding now 23 days away, I am cherishing these little magic moments.

Today, I was at Whole Foods to pick up lunch (the easiest place for me to find lunch and where I always head if I didn’t bring lunch to work with me) and they had, are you ready, vegan chocolate mousse!!! Now this might not sound like a big deal, but when you are used to never having any of the dessert options and then you finally find something that you can eat, you start babbling like a loon to the checkout girl about how happy you are to have a dessert option.

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Also while in the grocery store, I saw a mom shopping with her three young kids, one of whom was wearing a silver sparkly cape! I asked him if he was a superhero, he said yes, and when I asked what his power was, I think he said being a mascot (or masking?) and fighting. I told him I don’t normally get to meet superheroes while grocery shopping and it was very exciting for me!

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B and I went out to Sunset Beach, NC, last weekend to see where we will be getting married (22 days tomorrow!) and where we will be staying the night before. Sunset Beach is gorgeous, and the water was warm enough to go swimming! I was a very happy mermaid. While we were strolling down the beach, my trusy camera over one shoulder, we passed a guy who looked familiar to me. “That looks just like Don, our wedding officiant,” I whispered to B. “I really think it is Don, let’s go see.”

We turn around, and go back to the gentleman sunning himself on the beach. “Excuse me, sir, are you Don Beach?” To our delight, it was him, and we got to meet his lovely wife as well, who will be our photographer. We found Don online and weren’t going to meet him until the ceremony, so I was very happy to have a serendipitous moment and meet him while strolling the beach. He had suggested Sunset Beach as the location, and I definitely have to agree that it will be the perfect location for us. 🙂

*****

And the AHA! moment? I was asked to shoot the Administrative Professionals Day luncheon that my work was throwing. I was there, shooting away, when the guest speaker started talking. She was talking about excellence in action — where do you feel excellent? What do you feel most alive doing? What do you need to be doing that you aren’t? What are your gifts that need to be expressed?

I felt like she was talking directly to me. The more she talked, the more something became crystal clear in my mind — photography. Photography is what I love doing. It is a gift and talent and passion that I was never expecting to find, and yet it is so much a part of me, and it is definitely when I feel most alive and engaged and present. And on my way back to the office, I had an image of myself as a full-time photographer, and it was a surprisingly easy image to hold onto.

Since then, I have been doing a bunch of photoshoots for work for an internal directory we are creating, and it just keep reminding me how much I have doing it. I’ve also started to take steps toward this goal. I replied to several Craig’s List ads looking for a photographer (haven’t heard back, but I figure just reaching out and saying yes, I am a photographer, was a great first step). I found out that one of my favorite photographer/bloggers will be offering consulting sessions that can be done electronically, and I wrote to see about pricing.

I started shooting on a whim, and the more I played it, the more I loved it, and gradually it became more and more of a deep love. To say and realize that I want to do this full-time, and to start taking steps toward that, is hugely exciting!

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Goddesses, unicorns and more

One of my favorite places to go on a photo safari is the Last Unicorn, a unique garden store where everything is outside, and you wander around paths where you find something incredible around every corner. There is a lot of whimsy and magic all around there.

Where did you find whimsy and magic this weekend? Did you take time to notice it in your everyday surroundings?

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Joy Rebel mission – create your own superhero

The always fabulous Ms. Brandi suggested that the joy rebel mission this week is to create your own superhero over at the Marvel site.

So, I took her up on her challenge. I would like you to meet Redd Fyre. She is a total badass, and makes me feel empowered just looking at her. Bad moods, ex-landlord hassles, ex-friends, they don’t stand a chance when they come across Redd Fyre. And oh yeah, she is totally rocking the bitch boots. My kind of girl.

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Recent art

I’ve been having an art date with myself once a week for the past couple of weeks, it is great. I am loving it, I am having fun creating on a regular basis, and it is very necessary for my overall happiness.

What have you been creating lately? Have you been giving yourself time to play with your inner artist?

Where will your rainbow lead?

A gift of love, grace, happiness, inspiration, play, well being, peace of mind, wellness, love, celebrate yourself, art of life, joy.

Some days I’m your super girl. Her shirt says rock star super star, and the quote next to her says, “If it doesn’t absorb you, if it isn’t any fun, don’t do it.”

And this is very much an outfit I would wear on my super girl days. I think today needs to be a super girl day!

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let’s get macro in here

Flowers. Macro. Love!

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My art studio/bat cave/haven/happy room!!

I finally got my studio unpacked and set up. I still need more pictures and art in here, but I LOVE It!!!!Eventually, I will paint and have more inspiration in here, but it feels like me now 🙂

My window, with a fairy picture, a picture of Mt. Hood from Oregon, a picture of my Emma cat, candles.

Every studio should have a puppy. And a window with snow falling prettily in the background 🙂

Some fairies from an awesome 2008 calendar, some of my inspiration notes, Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. A-frickin-men!

More fairies and mermaids, Make your dreams out of stardust, I’m not like the girls you’ve known, and a collage with phrases like Awaken to your purpose.

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Wreck this journal – with love

My wreck journal, under the glass surface of my coffee table

Mission: Write one word over and over. I chose love.

Some details — love is the key. Love is the gift. Love outside the box. LOVE!!

Love sticks out its tongue. Love front and backwards

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dreaming of tropical breezes

The winds outside are cold, certainly for down here, with temps in the 30s and 40s right now. I’m itching to play in the sunshine, feel the tension of winter melt away in warmer weather, wander around with my camera, sit outside and sip coffee, feeling the unhurried sense that seems to come with warmer temperatures.

But even more than spring temperatures, I am dreaming of tropical breezes, turquoise blue oceans, wandering around barefoot in the sand, and playing in the water. Oh, how this mermaid misses the ocean and playing in the water. And this mermaid used to be a proper mermaid, one who spent much of her youth diving off the coast of Massachusetts, scuba diving, snorkeling, playing with fish and lobster in their native homes. Sadly, it has been a long time since I spent any length of time underwater.

And like most mermaids, I was born with a strong desire for travel and exploration. Mermaids are naturally curious creatures. And it has been far, far too long since I have done any proper travel. My travel of late has been home to New England, either from North Carolina, or before that, Oregon. Nothing exotic really.

But not for much longer, dear reader! I just booked a very special trip for B and I to go to Belize….a honeymoon, you might even say 🙂 Is it May 24 yet? I can’t wait! And we have three days of scuba diving booked. B is going to get certified before we leave, and your Mermaid Truly is going to take a refresher course, just to be safe and comfortable. I am a mermaid who is all about safety, especially when playing underwater. I haven’t been diving in years, I can’t wait to do it again, and to get to share it with B, who has dreamed of diving his whole life.

This is where we will be staying

This is one of the renowned snorkeling/dive spots,where you can swim with nurse sharks and rays!

This is one of the most famous Belize dive sites but it is a full day boat ride, so I don’t know if we will make it out there. But it is lovely to look at.

This is the island we will be staying on – Ambergris Caye

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Spring springs

Spring begins to step out of her shell early here

but still reluctantly

Trees, dipped in cotton candy pink paint, have begun to pop up here and there

Buds and morning dew are artfully arranged on trees like christmas lights

Birds chatter happily to each other in the mornings

while geese fly about sounding bossy

But Spring is still timid, too timid to spring up all at once

and everytime she starts to warm up and allow herself to be seen and felt

Winter grumbles and complains and tries to squash her spirit

And Spring will play along for a while, letting Winter think he is winning

But Spring is not one to hide herself away forever

She is all about making a proper entrance, when she will be most appreciated and loved.

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