Category Archives: TEDx

Catch Up Wednesday: Karaoke, TEDx Inspiration and Everything in Between

Wow – it seems it’s been a week since my last post. You can blame my absence on the following:

  • Good weather (editing photos is tough when the sun is shining)
  • Game of Thrones
  • More Game of Thrones
  • Three whole seasons of Game of Thrones (and one big O.M.G at the almost end!)
  • Work
  • End of school year insanity (Field day, Pajama Day and don’t even get me started on teacher gifts, ugh!)
  • Gardening and house organizing.
  • And did I mention work? Drowning.

So, I’m taking a brief respite while waiting on some project feedback to share some photo teases and a little inspiration.

The Boys

We’ve been spending a lot of time outside, playing with soccer balls, wall balls and baseballs and planting vegetables, flowers and grass. We’ve also enjoying family movie night – Peter Pan and The Fantastic Mr. Fox are the most recent. I need to take more photos of these guys. Thomas and Samuel are growing up very quickly. I know this because it seems like they grew out of every pair of shoes and item of clothing within the past couple of months.

More photos coming soon…

The Girls

I promised these photos over a week ago. They’re still coming together but here’s a tease for the ladies who joined me on, arguably, THE. BEST. EVER. karaoke night. The photos are a little “artsy” (dark and blurry with weird disco lighting), but I love them.

More photos coming soon…

The Inspiration

My two favorite talks from TEDx Portland are now available on YouTube.

First up is a very high energy and inspirational presentation by Graphic Designer and illustrator Kate Bingaman Burt. If you need a 15 minute pick-me-up then I highly recommend this one.

As an immigrant, the next talk from Ben Huh hit very close to home. It might make you look at the immigration debate in a different light.

I’ll be back to post more photos soon but for now, back to work.

Ten Favorites From TEDx

All of my TEDx Photos are now posted on the official TEDx Portland Flickr feed. However, I realize that not everyone has the time to browse through nearly 200 photos so I’ve narrowed it down to 10 of my favorites here on the blog.

Kate Bingaman-Burt was an incredible speaker. I was inspired by the fact that she didn’t discover her love for illustration until she was well into her twenties and now it’s her passion and her job. She was genuine and hilarious.

Ben Huh spoke on the topic of immigration – a subject that is very close to my heart. I shed the first of many TEDx tears during this moving presentation.

Not the greatest photo in the world but it’s Tom Brokaw. 🙂

Capturing photos of people laughing is my favorite.

As I mentioned, you can check out the rest of my photos on Flickr. And that’s a wrap for TEDx PDX 2013.

Wordless Wednesday: Two from TEDx

Up to my eyeballs editing photos from the TEDx event last week. They’ll all eventually be uploaded to the TEDx Flickr page and I’ll share some here, but here’s a quick sneak peek.

On Being Inspired and Feeling Vulnerable: The TEDx Portland Not-Quite-a-Recap, Recap

I’m traveling again this week, this time to Seattle (well, Bellevue) for just a couple of days for a work event. I’m coming off a busy weekend during which I photographed the TEDx event in Portland on Saturday, trimmed a massive hedge down the side of our house in 85 degree heat on Sunday, spent Monday editing photos from Saturday and then Tuesday getting work done for my real job before watching Thomas test for his Karate yellow belt. And now I’m here in Bellevue.

So that’s my roundabout way of explaining why I haven’t posted in a while. I keep waiting for life to slow down…

I’m working on a recap of some of my favorite talks from Saturday’s TEDx event but I figured it would be much more meaningful if I could actually link to replays, so it may have to wait for a few weeks until they’re posted online. Needless to say, I left feeling inspired and challenged. Nothing like a day of intelligent people talking about amazing projects to get the creative juices flowing.

I can share one presentation from the event right now. It was a replay from another TEdx event that they showed on the screen and, honestly, I felt like this talk was being delivered directly to me. Brene Brown, a researcher in Social Work, talked about the power of being vulnerable (something I struggle with as most of my close family members will attest) and how opening yourself up to vulnerability can open yourself up to so much more of your life. It was funny, poignant and very close to home.

Back soon with more photos and stories. Until then I’ll continue trying to keep my head above water.

Count Me Inspired

Thanks to a little work commitment, I found myself at the TEDx Portland event yesterday. I was there to manage the photo booth at the Waggener Edstrom table which meant I spent a day taking photos (which I love, of course) but I ALSO had the opportunity to actually watch the speaker sessions.

In a word – Inspirational.

I laughed, I cried, I sat in awe of amazing talent. I’m still taking it all in.

Unfortunately my camera was connected to the booth for the entire day so I didn’t take any of my own photos, but I will share a few highlights with some pics stolen borrowed from the interweb.

Jim Riswold 

Two bouts with cancer. Brave, funny, incredible. In one very short presentation, this man managed to teach me one very important lesson – laugh at the bad guy.

Storm Large

The woman can sing… and write and speak. She came across as brave and vulnerable and real all at the same time.

Genevieve Bell

As soon as she started speaking I knew she’d have something wonderful to say. I mean the Aussie accent gave it away. 🙂 Seriously though, she gave legitimacy to boredom. Put down the technology and just let your mind rest for a while. Now THAT’s an idea I can get behind… and I’ll try it as soon as I’m done with this blog post.

Greg Bell

This man changed his priorities in life and lives them. Adopting “mind your own Bamboo” as a catchphrase.

On The Rocks

Like Glee only better and in person.

PHAME (Pacific Honored Artists, Musicians and Entertainers)

Proving that anyone can have a dream and follow it (and be amazing), despite the obstacles.

Of course there was so much – discussions on everything from food to architecture to the power grid. DEFINITELY going back next year and encouraging all my friends to do the same.