The Trendsetter

Spring has sprung. The crabapples bloom heavily, the songbirds perching on a dogwood branch and pastel colors of apple green, yellow and variation shades of pink flowers between multi-colored tulips are a feast for my eyes. The sky is so blue, without any trace of clouds and the wind is cool amid the hot sun penetrating my skin.

This is a perfect spring.

Read more »

If you have been in business for years, I am sure you have a lot of experience dealing with all types of people around you. One of them is what I call a “friend in business”.

When I first started my handmade bags business, people who barely knew me got very friendly and were attracted to me like moths attracted to a light. Being a first time entrepreneur, I found this exciting and I thought these people shared and cared about what I am passionate about. They encouraged and motivated me in every step of the way. But as every expert business owner advises, ‘you don’t have to go too far to find your own enemy’. Your so called ‘friend in business’ can easily turn into the worst enemy there can be. And it has happened to me.
Read more »

Do you have any other interests besides your hobby or hobbies and your 9 to 5 job? What are they - scrapbooking, crafts or photography, etc.? I am sure you have several hobbies or interests you often pursue when you have free time. I am into digital photography and I find flowers are my primary subjects.

I take most of the pictures of flowers at places like the Boston Public Garden. Spring is the best time to take photos of flowers. Oftentimes though, I also find myself crouching on people’s front yards to take close-ups of very pretty flowers. My husband keeps telling me the owner’s will come out in a rage and will charge me to take pictures if they catch me! I hope it will never happens.

I find myself everywhere during the spring season taking pictures of flowers and when there is nothing else I don’t mind taking pictures of crab apples flowers as well!

Once I found myself at the food store, like the Stop & Shop (one of the largest ones in New England), taking pictures of the potted plants arranged outside for sale! Oftentimes, the problem when sneaking photos is when I aim the camera lens the wind starts to blow and the plants shake furiously. The images always come out somewhat less than satisfying. My husband says “the spirit of the flower doesn’t like you.” I’ve started to believe him.

When I am done with flower picture taking I will often move to the scenery. My current favorite is the Boston skyline.

I do take pictures of buildings with steeples. I find old church buildings with fierce gargoyles are one of my favorite subjects.

Flowers in general bring a therapeutic feeling. It feels very refreshing to look at the blooms close-up and marvel at how wonderful it is when the images are transferred into print.

I find it is fascinating that the photograph you took actually is a window to the soul. It is supposed to be the eyes are windows to the soul, but the photograph is taken based on how you perceive the objects and take the pictures. I think it is the way your eyes see the object and capture it through the lens of your camera that makes it a window to the soul.

I also like to learn the meaning behind each flower. I would say I love roses of all colors and the meaning behind it. Here is the meaning of roses from the language of flowers:

• Rose (red) - Love ; I love you
• Rose (white) - Eternal Love; innocence; heavenly; secrecy and silence
• Rose (pink) - Perfect happiness; please believe me
• Rose (yellow) - Friendship; jealousy; try to care
• Rose (black) - Death
• Rose (red and white) - Together; unity
• Rose (thorn less) - Love at first sight
• Rose (single, full bloom) - I love you; I still love you
• Rose bud - Beauty and youth; a heart innocent of love
• Rose bud (red) - Pure and lovely
• Rose bud (white) - Girlhood
• Rosebud (moss) - Confessions of love
• Roses (bouquet of full bloom) - Gratitude
• Roses (garland or crown of) - Beware of virtue; reward of merit; crown ; symbol of superior merit
• Roses (musk cluster) - Charming
• Rose (tea) - I’ll always remember
• Rose (cabbage) - Ambassador of love
• Rose (Christmas) - Tranquilize my anxiety; anxiety
• Rose (damask) - Brilliant complexion
• Rose (dark crimson) - Mourning
• Rose (hibiscus) - Delicate beauty
• Rose leaf - You may hope

I always incorporate roses into my fiction writing as a way to express the character’s feelings. As it well known, flowers bring happiness and also bring good health. It is one of the reasons why flowers become the most chosen and a wonderful gift.

I can conclude that flowers are the language of love.

One Sunday afternoon in early September I felt overwhelmed by a sense of sadness. I felt it the day before, but just brushed it off for I thought my emotions have played a trick on me again! For every late Summer Season I experience a similar feeling. Now that I am returning to my writing, I started to pay closer attention to my own feelings. Interestingly enough, when I started to feel sad for nothing, I am very much interested to write more. So, I decided to find out what exactly is going on. Why do I feel this sense of sadness when I don’t have any other reasons to feel this way? I did try to explain the reason I feel sad because the summer is over and I wish that this season will continue forever.
Read more »