Here it is:

My list of 101 goals to complete in 1001 days!

In no specific order*

Self:
1. Blog once a week for 6 months (0/24)
2. Get a new cell
3. Pay for the person behind me at Tim Horton's (or similar "pay-it-forward" act)
4. Do 25 random acts of kindness (0/25)
5. Get up before 9 a.m. on my days off for 30 days (0/30)
6. Get a tattoo
7. Write a thank-you note to someone for great service
8. Take a dance class
9. Make 50 new Facebook friends (0/50)
10. Become an organ donor
11. Write a list of 101 Facts of JCleveland (note flaws\strengths\weaknesses, etc)
12. Buy 15 items from independent artists and\or business people (0/15)
13. Get professional photos done of Chris and I

Vanity & Health:
14. Drink only water for two straight weeks (0/14)
15. Keep a food diary for 90 days (0/90)
16. Get a hair cut I love
17. Buy a bra that fits properly
18. Buy lingerie and wear it (even if it's just me, alone)
19. Buy and wear a pair of heels
20. No pop for 30 straight days (0/30)
21. Change wardrobe
22. Glasses (anyone who knows me, knows what I want)
23. Exercise more often (general, but I haven't prepared a reasonable goal... yet)
24. Practice Yoga
25. Give up deep fry for 30 days (0/30)

Friends/Family/Love:
26. Send a just because gift to a loved one
27. Have a girls' night, monthly (0/36)
28. Send out birthday cards
29. Host a party
30. Write "to be read" letters to specific individuals
31. Phone folks once a week (0/36)
32. Hand write and snail mail 10 letters (0/10)
33. Invite Lee & Kendra for supper

Humble Abode:
34. Try 20 new recipes (0/20)
35. Put away laundry right after it's finished 20 times (0/20)
36. Put away dishes right after they're finished 20 times (0/20)
37. Properly organize and de-clutter closets, drawers and cupboards
38. Detail clean both cars (0/20)
39. Buy a new duvet
40. Implement a more effective recycling system at home
41. Have dimmer switches installed in 3 rooms in the condo (0/3)

Travel\Exploration:
42. Explore Saskatchewan for new places
43. Picnic (basket and all)
44. Go on a road-trip
45. Explore Highway 13
46. Get a Passport
47. Find a secret hideaway
48. Drive across Canada/US
49. Visit NYC again
50. Get outside every day (0/1001)
51. Go on our hot air balloon ride
52. Go on more walks, just because
53. Compile a list of small, common places I can go when I need inspiration (and visit them!)

Money:
54. Pay back Mommy-O and Daddy-O ($0/$1000)
55. Create a budget and stick to it for six months (0/6)
56. Open a proper savings account
57. Deposit money monthly into savings
58. Save 1$ or more for each day of this project
59. Don't get behind on bills

For Fun:
60. Revamp an old reading chair for our study
61. Record home videos
62. Finish a scrap book
63. Learn to crochet
64. Read a book in the park
65. Karaoke in public
66. Learn to make jewelry (clay image transfer pendants, etc...)
67. Read 12 books a year (0/36) (not including school/photo books)
68. Go fishing
69. Sew 5 projects (0/5)

For Fun (Extended):
70. Be prepared for Christmas, BEFORE Christmas
71. Bake goodies for social gatherings
72. See 10 classic movies (0/10)
73. Have plans on Halloween, including a costume
74. Have a board game and fancy virgin drink night
75. Go to the theatre (live or movie) 20 times (0/20)
76. Have a date night with Chris (0/20)
77. Have an "olden day" photo taken at the WDM
78. Create our own Christmas tradition
79. Sell something I've created

Everything Photography Related:
80. Take under water photos
81. Learn to use PhotoShop effectively
82. Stick to an 'official' business name
83. Read 10 books to enhance my knowledge of photography (0/10)
84. Properly organize, display and archives photographs
85. Digitize all my negatives & random homeless photographs
86. Digitize all folks' negatives & random homeless photographs
87. Attend a photography workshop/seminar
88. Reach 10,000 views on Flickr
89. Finish my 365 project
90. Display a photo (or more) publicly (gallery, exhibition, bridal show... etc)
91. Shoot two or more sessions monthly (0/72)
92. Take a photography and\or a business course
93. Make a photo book of my 365 project
94. Buy a lens (not a specific one)
95. Create a proper photo web-site
96. Don't hesitate to stop and photograph something (ie: house on the side of the highway..)

Random:
96. Make daily lists and stick to them
97. Go to the lake more often
98. Sit in a coffee shop\restaurant and read something educational
99. List 101 things that make me genuinely happy (0/101)
100. Reflect daily on my goals
101. Complete and create a new list of goals.

So there it is. My goals for the next 2.75 years. Because these are my goals, they are able to change and be adjusted accordingly, obviously depending on life circumstances. I realize that a lot of my goals aren't necessairly specific, so here's how those will work: once *I* feel as though I've completed it, I'm 'allowed' to mark it off. Another rule I've made for myself is that I can go back and revisit my goals and add to them or re-do them according to my new standards.
Starting August 1st, 2008 until April 29th, 2011 this is it. Good luck to everyone setting such goals, also good luck to me!

Business cards for real!

I haven't been posting on this blog a whole lot recently.. I've decided to turn this more into a 'personal' blog, as opposed to 'non-personal' lol. So a new blog I've created is http://inlovewiththeworld.wordpress.com This is where I decided I will be posting different sessions, news, and so forth.
So several weeks ago, I had made a post, kind of making fun of having a business card for myself. BUT there's been quite a number of times in the past few weeks where someone has asked me for a business card~! SOooo Ta-da! Guess what I have finally created! Bingo! A business card. Nothing uber fancy at this point, as my resources are limited. But here's what I've settled on!



This first is the 'general' card, basically one I give to everyone.. The second I created to focus on a younger crowd I guess you would say. I've also made a couple flyers that I'll be putting up shortly, offering FREE portrait sessions until the end of August. (The first 10 folks who sign up get a free hi-res CD) Basically the goal is to add to my portfolio and gain more experience working with a variety of people!

That being said, if you are interested in a session, gimme a shout! Thanks for tuning in folks! Adios for today.

Ally & Devan

Weirdly enough I met Ally while doing her cap and gown photos through the school this spring. We added one another to Facebook, then a few weeks later she asked if I would take some pictures of her in her gown along with her boyfriend on the day of her graduation, and of course I agreed!
We didn't get a chance to stop at all the proposed places I had hoped, but we managed go get down by the river and also at her farm. I definitely commend those two for sticking it out in the heat Thursday afternoon! Of course Ally looked fabulous and Devan looked mighty handsome sweating his buttocks off in his suit! Honest to goodness those two are so into each other, at some moments I forgot I was taking HER grad photos, NOT 'couple' - type photos!
Anyway here's a little snippet of what we captured that fine day!

1st attempt

This past Saturday I attended a wedding of one of my dearest friends future mother-in-law as thee 'photographer'(to make it simple).. Luckily they weren't looking for any spectacular photographs, just some memories of their special day.. So a hair less stressful than it could have been.. even though I had been sick to my stomach days before worrying I was going to completely mess something up!!
I've only once attempted to take decent photographs at a wedding (and that would have been my dear friends' mother's wedding, last summer). So needless to say I'm not a seasoned wedding photographer just yet! I just really wanted to share a few of my favorites from the day. Fortunately (for me) it was overcast all day... unfortunately it started raining just as we were wrapping up the last of the photos (I would have liked to continue, I was finally getting a little more settled and into photographer mode!) Oh well. I have just finished doing some minor touch ups and canning the closed eye\half talking photos, and haven't yet shown the bride or groom. So here's a 'sneek peek'!

no longer completely jobless

So I've finally gotten off of my high horse, and gotten a part-time job. I have such great aspirations for my life I got a job at Walmart Photo Lab! lol Well it's not so bad (I haven't even started yet, so who knows lol) for those of you who know me well, know I LOVE Walmart! Plus I've wanted to work at a Photo Lab\Store of some sort.. And places like Don's and Phase II are intimidating!
So I figure I'll start at the bottom of the todem pole! Hopefully I get some discounts on prints! It was only a part-time position available and I'm kinda glad for that. Get some money coming in, but this way if I do want another PT job I can get one, or If I do start taking more and more pictures I'll have time for that too. I'm pretty pumped though! Seriously who's this excited to work at Walmart Photo Lab? Besides me of course? Saaawweeet!

What's in a name??

So this topic all started of with me sitting here pondering to myself at two a.m. about my name. Jamie Cleveland. That's it that's all. That's my name. Jamie Cleveland. I find the more I frequent forums (for instance) I usually go by J Cleveland. A little mysterious, a little more simple, maybe more professional? and basically looks nicer when I sign my name lol. So after I pondered this for a few moments, I got to thinking about this 'career' in photography. A lot of photographers go with their name as a business name (i.e. Jamie Cleveland Photography \ J.Cleveland Photography), OR photographers go with the more cheeseball approach (i.e. LifeTouch, Precious Moments Photography, In Focus Photography, something of the sort). I find lately I refer to my photography as InlovewiththeWorld Photography. That's right. Usually one long word Photography. A big debate in the photographer world while naming yourself\your business is potential customers googling you; and losing business if they can't find your website online 'cause your name is too difficult to remember. So is InlovewiththeWorld something too difficult to remember? (with or without spaces lol). Does it even make sense? To me the name means a lot to me, I guess you could say. Anyway I'm kind of looking for some opinions on that one. I like it.. But YOU as a "potential" customer. What does that name say too you? In Love with the World Photography\InlovewiththeWorld Photography. Comments and Critiques muchly appreciated.

Jobless or just a solo career path?

So that time of year has come. The season's over, the work is complete. That's right folks, I'm jobless!
It feels wonderful, exhilarating, marvelous, and stressful! I'm definitely still working on finding another job,
whether for just the summer or permanently, only the right job will tell! I've got to say working for Lifetouch
has opened my eyes to how much I love 'people' photography, whether it be a posed-studio or photojournalistic
approach, people really get my gears going! There's just something so satisfying about "capturing" a moment of
somebody's essence. Wow that sounded cheeseballish! But I suppose until that moment actually hits
you, you have no idea what a penetrating thrill it is. Honest to goodness it nearly gives me chills every time.
So back to being jobless. I've been applying like crazy to jobs, jobs I'm over qualified for, under qualified for,
crummy jobs, amazing jobs, every job that I can pretty much find! Since I've had so much time on my hands
the last two days I've been thinking more and more about getting out there and focusing more on taking
MY own photos, not *property of Lifetouch\Lifetouch's poses\Lighting\Rules* photos. MY OWN. I make the rules,
I decide what I like and don't like and I have a say! I can actually be a photographer not a poorly paid person
who clicks the shutter release (that apparently I "don't use properly" according to Lifetouch).
I shouldn't be so negative! Oh well, I just feel free at last! Well perhaps only until fall, when I may go back.

Needless to say if you or someone you know is looking for the following:
-Couples\Engagement photos
-Portrait parties
-Individual portraits
-Graduation\Senior portraits (dress and so forth or just casuals)
-Familes (big or small!)

Get in touch with me! Because I'm a newbie at doing this solo I'm basically charging next to nothing for my time, and minimal charges for prints! Also you get to choose a location, if you are interested give me a call 290.5511 or feel free to contact me via email (j.cleveland@hotmail.com), facebook (search Jamie Cleveland), heck even knock on my door! If you're looking for something a little different than mentioned above, call me! I'll see what I can do!