Squirrel or Chimp

So it is the new year. High time to make some resolutions that you will or will not keep and start projects – same thing – see them through or don’t. For me, I have never been big on new year’s resolutions or goals, but then again, I have never been the big planner or goal setter. Which is not to say that I am absolutely without a plan, cluelessly wandering through life not having a goal whatsoever.Not at all. But I like to see the big picture, take in all options and possibilities. Adjust to get to my goal or take a detour exploring something else, to only then find my way back to the original goal. In this respect my office business life from 8-5 seems to differ quite a bit from my personal life. Which may also be the very reason why I need my personal life to be – taking detours.

wpid-52c49361ee6db4.99814163.jpgIn any case, one of the things I meant to say is that no, I have not made a resolution this year either. But – I do want to find and make more time for my website and blogging. Being a photographer first, I figure a blog post not always needs to be lengthy and wordy (unlike this one!). Although I’d like to think that I have something to say and pass along at times. So, there may be times when I will not post much more than a photo, either on my main blog = here or on my i-Photos page, where all photos were taken with and processed in my iPhone and published via Pressgram app.

It is there where I have – for the first time ever * drum rolls * started a real photo project. A project 365. Meaning that I will be posting (at least) one photo each and every day. I have seen these projects over time here and there, but I have never done myself before. The problem always being that with a full time job it is hard to make the time to lug around the DSLR, take a decent photo, process it and publish it on the website – every day. Nowadays, my iPhone is always by my side and whenever I have got a few minutes I can process a photo right there on the spot. And what’s almost best, publish it right from my iPhone to my wordpress website through Pressgram app. Totally awesome!

My photo theme that I decided on is ‘abstract’ – like this photo right here. Quite simply, because I love abstracts. I love to see it in nature or in man-made structures or in both. Abstracts can come totally natural or can be enhanced or completely brought to be seen by processing a photo accordingly. Either way – the abstract outcome will land on my iPhoto site every day – or you can have a look at it here. I really hope that I can keep up with it. But, worst case, I will cut it down to a 52 project and only post the photos of the week, once a week. Only time will tell, we are only 8 days into the new year, right?!

MailChimp2What has this got to do with squirrels and chimps? Well, posting each day of the week for my project 365 also means a fresh website feed every day. And every day you, my email subscribers, will get an email from me at 9 am EST with the news of the previous day. This is where I tie this post back to ‘the detours my life and work can take’. You may have noticed that my subscription email’s look has changed. Yep, I finally made the change from Feedburner to MailChimp. And it has been a looong way in the making. It was announced quite a while back that Google would retire Feedburner, so I looked for an alternative and signed up for MailChimp in 2012. You read that right – more than a year ago. What happened? Well, Feedburner is still working, so there was no urgency of changing it and life took a different path, when I started the full time job in January 2013. Time needed to be allotted differently. For a while. Now, after a year, I feel that it is time to pick up some loose ends. This was one of them. And I am rather proud of how it turned out. I hope you like it and continue to read my news.

But what would a photo blog be without at least one big, beautiful photo, right?! Now about a few photos of our little visitor Sunday morning – the squirrel? He and his fellow entertain us a lot all spring, summer and fall long. This was the first time we saw him during winter. And snow. And freezing temperatures. He actually dug out a nut in front of our balcony. But, of course, when I opened the door to take a photo, he got scared and hurried up the tree. Once he was certain that I posed no threat he started chomping on the nut. Once again David and I forgot breakfast over watching him for quite a while.

So, squirrel or chimp? Good thing I don’t have to make a choice – both are pretty much not bad, don’t you think?!

As always – click on the photos to enlarge them and then click through them all

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25 thoughts on “Squirrel or Chimp”

  1. Squirrels. I have a real issue with them. Your pictures are good though. They like to dig up my front yard and in the spring when I put in plants they will dig them up and my garden looks like little bombs have gone off. So, not a fave of mine at all. LOL! Love that water picture though!!

    Reply
    • What?! You don’t like squirrels?! Well, o.k. if they behave like moles in your garden, maybe I can understand 😉 The water picture, huh?! I am about to experience that again. Right now.

      Reply
  2. oh goodness, I have no idea if I use feedburner…… blogger is connected to google so I would assume so. I am the one that didn’t realize they had gotten rid of Googe Friend connect quite some time ago — there it is still on my blog. and now I have no idea what to do with it. LOL
    cute little squirrel. we have the weirdest ones here. no tails. they’re like mutant squirrels, I don’t know what to make of them. what the heck happened to their tails?? I’ll have to try and get a picture one day.

    Reply
    • Hm, I would have no idea what to do with GFC. In fact, I am already thinking of getting rid of the networkedblogs widget. Other than displaying how many or how few public (!) followers your blog has, it doesn’t do much, I think.
      Really, squirrels without tails? None? At all? I do want to see a picture of those. Maybe they just got a naked rat’s tail?! LOL

      Reply
  3. He should come down here to hang out with his Southern buddies – plenty of nuts and warm weather!!! 🙂 I love watching the squirrels around our neighborhood they are so much fun. Good luck on your project – I know what it’s like to scurry for time and still try to get something up on the blog. I definitely noticed a pattern emerging with me and I’m getting much more photo heavy. Which is fine – a picture is worth a thousand words, right???

    Reply
    • Well, I had hoped that it wouldn’t come to the time scrambling part for you and your blog when you told me that you found a new job. I knew it happened for me, too, but there is always hope, right? And like you say: There are always photos for us!

      Reply
  4. I love the title and the photos. I was looking for the chimp at first, and then I read your entry. 😉 I don’t know anything about feed burners and sometimes I think technology will pass me by if I don’t try harder. Nice post and thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  5. Love this little dude! I agree with having some space to be organized, like work, and space to be free to take life as it comes. It’s a healthy balance 🙂 Wishing you an amazing 2014!

    Reply
  6. I love the idea of a photo a day – a visual document of a whole year, I’m guessing the squirrel may feature regularly -? I hope you manage to sustain it – remind us all to take a peek on december 31st and good luck 🙂 x

    Reply
    • I love the *idea*, too, Sue. I am just hoping I can stick with it. I don’t really have an extremely good track record with it. But yes, there will definitely be some kind of consolidation post for it.

      Reply
  7. I love squirrels!
    I have never been organised enough to contemplate a 365 day challenge but I am sure that it will be an amazing experience. Looking forward to your updates on how you get on with it. 🙂

    Reply
  8. I am excited to check out the Pressgram app you talked about. I love using my phone to shoot so much easier than our bulky cameras sometimes. I have the chimp and so far ok, i have to get better about my newsletter I only sent it out twice last year so maybe time to look at other options. Last but not least your squirrel pics are soo cute!!

    Reply
    • Yes, Jessica, you should definitely check out Pressgram. It is soooo easy to set up for your wp-website. And the community, once you get followers and follow (the usual thing e.g. Insta) is fun, too. When you sign up be sure to find me 🙂

      Reply
  9. I always wanted to complete a 365 project. I am way too busy at this point with my 2 young boys. The 52 projects and monthly projects are more doable for me. I am looking forward to following your daily journey though. I have heard good things about MailChimp 🙂 Youll have to update us on how you like it!

    Reply
    • Hey Karrie, I am not so confident I will complete the 365, but I am giving it my best shot. I like MailChimp, but the question is: How do my followers like it? And I am wondering if it is a little overwhelming getting a mail each day (with the 365). I think I will ask 🙂

      Reply
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    Reply

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