Vicki Atkinson's Blog, page 5

Thank You Elliott

“To me, photography is about finding something interesting in an ordinary place. I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.”
-Elliott Erwitt

I took a photo the other day. I was held captive (joking!) while Paul toured a reclaimed wood store. I moseyed around for a bit but the varnish fumes were too strong for me, so I bolted to the car and said, “Take your time”.

I love parking lot moments. Pockets of time to let my mind wand...

The Poke-Around Method

My poke-around method isn’t the same thing as ‘trial and error’.

Let’s be clear.

There’s no method to my madness. No tracking of enthusiastic rounds of ‘trying’ and resulting failures. Not even the micro steps that moved a fix-it campaign forward by an inch or two.

My challenges aren’t limited to technology (just ask the hubster and our dear daughter) but IT IS a chunky category. Including an instance last week where Instagram moved my metaphorical cheese so many times I couldn’t f...

Jackson and Grace

I love, love, love synchronicity with other writers. I don’t know how this happens but it occurs fairly frequently. Without conversation or comparing notes, blogging friends often write about topics that dove-tail beautifully in terms of topic, vibe, experience.

Wynne Leon and I did that between her post yesterday and the post you’ll see below. I can’t think of a time when I’ve written about a “God wink” moment but I had one recently and Wynne, my dear friend Wynne, wrote poignantly abou...

Think Small

The other day my dear blogging buddy, Ally Bean commented on my Heart of the Matter blog post, “Apples and Authenticity” – a story about a dear colleague from many years ago who had a knack for prioritizing well, making good work/life balance decisions.

Ally’s observation reminded me of a quote I’d long forgotten…yet the underlying message is rooted in my circuitry…at a molecular level.

Ally’s comment:

“In my experience it’s the small memories that make for some of the most sound a...

This Story is Worth Your Time

Do you know Lori Pohlman? The writer behind the enchanting blog, Lake Arrowhead Lady Writer? Lori wrote a generous review of “Surviving Sue” on March 8 and I must admit, in the not-quite two years since I shared my story with the world, I continue to be thrilled and delighted every time a reader has kind thoughts to share.

Part of my delight comes from learning I’ve got companions in the marketing effort. Oof. I’ve said this before but the promotional aspect of being an author is somethin...

When You Crack Yourself Up: Just Say Thank You

I did it again. That thing I do when someone is kind and unexpectedly compliments me. It doesn’t matter if it’s about something innocuous or deeply personal, if I’m caught off guard I might babble. A lot.

I wonder if the dear lady who simply wanted to express her admiration for my skirt understood. I hoped she had experience.

You know…being around…the tightly wound.

Maybe she disregarded the ramble and that’s what I detected in her smile? A knowing nod of kindness as I used far too...

The Most Beautiful People

The talented Rose Vettleson – the blogger behind the beautiful site, “Of All The Things I’ve Ever Dreamed” honored me with a review of “Surviving Sue” this week:

The most significant takeaway from this book is – Inspiration! Inspiration is in the title. I found this book inspirational for many reasons, one in particular was feeling a connection to another human whose childhood held complex family issues, yet she resiliently survived and thrived. I have great admiration for Vicki’s accomp...

Unsought Thoughts!

I appreciate Dickie Bush’s writing advice and although I know I miss a post or two (and probably a lot of gems) I took my time this week and reviewed his latest tip deck on LinkedIn.

Here’s a summary of his six suggestions. Nothing earth shatteringly new…but I find repetition works because it gooses me along.

If you flip through the entire deck, you’ll get a feeling for the rich examples he provides. (I especially love the reference to Jerry Seinfeld who reportedly sets a timer eac...

Stairs, Smiles and Gratitude

We love our house and I’m grateful for it. Over many years we’ve tended to renovations of all sorts – some of which I’ve shared here.

As we’ve approached the finish line with projects (she said hopefully) we’ve finally meandered toward the front door. Literally – to the entry way and stairs. The same tired carpeting covered the steps for ten years and to make matters worse – and dangerous – we tinkered with removing the existing carpet runner to expose the bare wood, wondering if that was...

Power Boosts? Yes, Please!

While doing some routine, desktop maintenance recently (but not nearly as much as I should be doing when I think about the periodic decluttering inspiration I receive from my talented friend, Michelle Oram) I found something that made me grin.

Michelle has a knack for encouraging a good tidy-up and let’s just say my digital footprint in Canva – with far too many images and a colossal lack of organization – is ripe for a clean-up.

But guess what? As is true with cleaning out cupboards ...