Many people tell me that I’m a sharing kind of person. I don’t think that should be such an unusual virtue. Since I’m an only child, people have told me that it’s more common for an only child to be adverse to sharing. I’ve always been that way. I have never understood why a person wouldn’t share what they know. So on that note, today I plan to share with you a trio of useful items (and I hope you will share them with others as well).
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” ~Winston Churchill
- I absolutely love using Lightroom 2, as you can tell by some of the sepia or black & white images I post here and at my daily photos. Using Lightroom is the digital darkroom for photography, not to mention a dynamite tool for organizing photos (far, far better & easier than doing so in Photoshop). I never would have known half of what Lightroom is capable of had I not invested in the excellent how-to book by Scott Kelby, Lightroom 2 for Digital Photographers. I’m one of those who learns best with visual cues and not by books but this is one exception. Kelby has written this book in such a logical and easy-to-follow manner, that he makes learning from a book a snap. That is no mild statement coming from this technically-unsavvy person! If you have Lightroom, you need the book to get the most out of it — believe me.
- Speaking of learning, here’s a freebie for you. If you are just beginning to get serious about photography, or even if you simply want to know how to take decent vacation or family photos, I came across a photographer who is offering online lessons at no charge. Besides being free, and full of excellent information, you can take the lessons at your leisure. In his own words, the lessons are targeted to those who, “If you want to improve your shots and get more enjoyment out of your pictures.” Please visit Brett Trafford photography to begin today.
- As many of you know I have been ‘green’ since before it was cool to be green. I write a weekly environment column for a local newspaper so I can’t share the column here but I do have a tip I want to share. I could write pages about how harmful those so-called “air fresheners” are but you can do an online search to find lots of credible information about how terribly harmful they are to you and the environment. Those commercial products do nothing to ‘freshen’ the air but they do mask smells temporarily. The best way I know of freshening air is to open a window for a while and to clean our home with good old white vinegar and water. But if it’s masking odors temporarily you’re after, here’s a few safer and much more pleasant ways: a) Burn a soy or beeswax candle (never paraffin candles); b) simmer a pot of water with cloves, a stick of cinnamon, and/or orange peels; or c) make your own safe spray of pure essential oil of lemon diluted in water, add to a refillable atomizer, and voila!
“Thousands of candles can be lit by a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” ~Buddha quote.
As Scott Ginsberg would say, “let me ask you this” … what do you love to share?