listen











Fence at dusk 02.20.09



Sunset over Santa Rosa 02.19.09



Spring Blossom 02.18.09



Oil and Water 02.17.09



Captain Matthew 02.16.09



Lockers 02.15.09





“Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. The friends who listen to us are the ones we move toward. When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand.”

Don't stop believin'










Bike Rack 02.14.09


Class Buddies 02.13.09


Flowers 02.12.09


2225 Mailbox 02.11.09


Zito Ball 02.10.09


#3 02.09.09



Some will win, some will lose,
Some were born to sing the blues.
The movie never ends, it goes on and on and on and on
-- lyrics from Journey's "Don't stop believin' "

The lurker










Blossom 02.08.09


Power Lines 02.07.09


Mustard Field with Trees 02.06.09


Thorn 02.05.09


Parking Spot 02.04.09


Fence 02.03.09


When you start a blog like this, you always know that not only your friends and family are checking it out, but it is open to the world to see.

I use some great tracking software, just because while doing this project I wanted to also learn some interesting stuff about unique visitors, length of visits, what photos people are looking (clicking on), etc.

It also tells me where visitors are coming from, which I find very cool. I have visitors from all over the world. The UK, Norway, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Australia, Romania, Greece, Japan, Mexico, India and of course here in the US. I can tell how people find me, perhaps is following a link from BlogSpot or LinkedIn or if they Google my name.

I can also see what kinds of browsers they use and what kind of connection speed they have, DSL, Cable even dial up (sorry my photos are so big, that must feel painful waiting for those to load, but I thank you so much for being a part of this journey).

I check these on a daily basis part of making sure this project is moving along and the site is working. But I have seen this funny, as in intriguing, pattern with one of my visitors.

I have a lurker!

What is a lurker? They are a person who does not want to say who they are, but wants to hide in the background. For an accurate official description see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lurker

Well in this day and age there is no hiding. So here is what I can tell you about my lurker.

  • They often Google my name to find my site. I guess they have not figured this whole bookmarking thing out, oh how fun it would be to have a browser that was not full of bookmarks
  • They have a cable connection (Which I have questions about, do they like cable more than DSL and how is that working out for you?)
  • They live in area of Petaluma, CA, which is about a stones throw from where I dwell
  • They lurk often, which I find funny. I have 4 peeps in Petaluma and I speak to them on a regular basis, so it is not them.

What is a person to do with a lurker? Do they not know they can join the party and do not have to hide in the corner? They come so often, it feels rude to ignore them. It’s is like they are coming to my home and not saying hello to the host.

Like they say “Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.” And with new my software updates are coming soon I may soon know even more about you.

So please lurker person, say hello, you can do, I know you can. This could be the beginning of a great friendship, if I only knew who you were.

Allow me to start, my name is Monique and this is my blog, come on in, you may recognize the view but let me show you around a bit, it is really fun here.

-Monique Jervan-Chilton

creativity










Hot Air Balloon Monday 02.02.09


Business Park Reflections 02.01.09


Bedtime Boy 01.31.09


Gazebo 01.30.09


Bike 01.29.09


Red Lantern 01.28.09


Hooks 01.27.09


Mendocino Ave 01.26.09


Grain Window 01.25.09



Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. -- Scott Adams

This post takes me thru day 214. I attempted to focus on things that seemed a little more random, not as organic as I have usually seen on a daily basis. More of a focus on reflection, angle, lines, etc. Of course I could not resist that smiling face as he was getting ready for bed.

-Monique Jervan-Chilton

true talents










Pink Beauty 1.24.09


Puddles Reflection 1.23.09


Someone to watch over me 1.22.09


Umbrella 1.21.09


Barlow Lane 1.20.09


Mendocino Ave 1.19.09


Geyserville Landscape 1.18.09


Bike @ Sunset 1.17.09


I have been following a fellow blogger Brett on a photo journey on his way to turning 42. He has put together an amazing, amazing set of photographs. He will reach his goal this month on the 14th. I would suggest checking them out on a daily basis. He is amazingly talented and inspires me to keep going on my own journey. Here is his link.

http://365to42.blogspot.com/

Earlier this week he posted this list and I wanted to share it with everyone that checks in on my blog.

Daily Reminders

1. There are at least two people in this world who you would die for
2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don’t like you
5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep
6. You mean the world to someone
7. You are special and unique
8. Someone that you don’t even know exists loves you
9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it
10. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take another look
11. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude comments.

I also wanted to share a really great video, just one of those great feel good stories about another talent that amazed all those that witnessed it. Here is the link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZJhfP50bxE


Or Click below for the video.



Hope you are all having an exceptional week.

Monique Jervan-Chilton

219-211.8