CUT and DRY : PERSONAL

Showing posts with label PERSONAL. Show all posts

Sister

I'm grateful for the love and support you always provide, my sweet sis. Thank you for always being there for me.

I love you, Jeanne!

We live in an ever changing world - uncertainty, unexpected losses, and challenging situations are part of our lives and can cause stress and anxiety. Let's face it, any major life change can be stressful.

Sometimes, I feel anxious and stressed. When I'm under stress I experience mental symptoms, such as irritability, anger, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping. In fact, I'm often feeling on edge and not being able to relax and am excessively worried about things such as health, family, work.

When stress and anxiety trike, these three techniques help keep me calmer.

My Coping Mechanisms When Stress Hits:

1. Deep breathing.

Lie down, or take a comfortable seat. Breathe in through the nose for at least five seconds.

With your mouth closed, exhale until you’re out of breath.

Repeat five to seven times.

2. Nature as a healer. (Eco-therapy).

Walking stimulates relaxation and improves our mood. Spending time in nature and doing outdoor activities can act as a stress reliever. Researchers have found that nature, even looking at trees simply makes us happy.

3. Getting a good sleep. Getting a good night's sleep can reduce stress and improve our mood. Not getting enough quality sleep regularly raises the risk of many disorders.

These strategies work perfectly for me. I hope they are helpful for you guys too.

Hope you have a great weekend! xx

A Sad Story

A a photographer, sometimes I have people contacting me to use my photographs.

So this past July (July 3rd, 2022), a magazine editor reached out asking for permission to use two of my photographs in an essay he was writing.

July 3

July 15

"There are two of your photographs I would like to use if I may? One is the face of a young man who seems to be on an underground train - about to travel through time and space and the other is of two Iron Maiden fans ( could we get these two photographs to use in the piece?)

Your work is great. I really like how you capture a kind of between worlds - the real - the surreal - in a kind of cinematic noir. It is as if we are waiting for something to happen, will the train doors suddenly open and the young man will flee the train pursued by a couple of heavy, dark villains, are the Iron Maiden fans part of an underground cult that is plotting to take over the world?

Someday I would like to write about you and your work.

I will let you read the essay once I have it written." ...................................................................................................................................................................................

I thought I'd google his name as well as his magazine to find information on that editor. Then I decided to give permission. His enthusiasm and admiration for my work just made me happy, not for ego; but for the joy of knowing my photographs positively impact on others. It's nice when your work generates enthusiasm in viewers, it's nice when someone, above all when a magazine's editor finds your photography exhilarating and interesting.

Days were passing by without hearing from Sergio, to make a long story short, so I thought I'd pop in and see what was going on regarding my photos.

It was only a few days ago, when I learned the sad news that Sergio Burns passed away on Wednesday 20th July, 2022. This is absolutely sad and shocking news.

It is with great sadness that I am writing this post. Sergio Burns was an author, a senior journalist and editor at AM Ayshire Magazine. He has written for a wide range of newspapers and magazines including Mail On Sunday, Sunday Herald, Japan Times, Contemporary magazine, Scottish Fields, In These Times (USA), Austin Chronicle (USA), and was for many years the writer of the Europhoria column for Indalico (Spain) and the New Entertainer (Spain). Studied at Glasgow University, Strathclyde University and the University of the West of Scotland.

I've hadn't the honor to meet him in person. He was a very talented and creative writer and editor.

I would like to express my deepest condolences to Sergio's family.

R.I.P. Sergio Burns

Everyone Is an Artist + Have a Beautiful Weekend

Hello everyone! Happy Friday! It seems ages since I last wrote a blog post; and I am sorry for that. As you may know, I love photography. However, it's safe to say that it is not easy being a photographer. There are hours spent doing editing and/or post-processing photos, countless outings empty handed, lots of expenses, etc. So I've been working on a photography project for the last couple of months. I've also been practicing my photography skills in order to develop my craft and grow as a photographer. But I do love blogging too. So here I am guys.

I thought I'd share a few fresh photographs with you, if you'd like to see. All taken in Athens, Greece 2022.

Hope you have a great weekend! Take some time to spark your creativity and do something cool. It's important to spend your time doing what inspires and recharges you. Remember, everyone is an artist in their own way. xx

P.S. Feel free to visit my Facebook profile and say hello. https://www.facebook.com/betty.manousos/

Have a Lovely Weekend!

My dears, I'm so sorry I've been M.I.A. Sometimes life gets in the way and I've been overwhelmed recently.. Anyway, I hope you're all doing well. Happy Friday! Wishing you a great weekend!

Lots of love. xx

Bereavement Hallucination

Home isn't a place; it's a feeling. That said, my home holds so many memories for me. Sometimes I fleetingly feel my parents' presence, as if they were still alive. It's such a weird feeling...

In the months after they died, it was hard to be in the house without them. It still is. It was their house and it still feels like they should be here. Every corner is filled with their life. I love my house. How could I not?

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! xx

Mid-February

Hello everyone! Hope you are all staying safe and healthy during this difficult time. I, personally, have been coping with an uncomfortable facial skin inflammation, a rash, or perioral dermatitis that occurred around my mouth and chin. (Photo below.) Getting a professional opinion is a must, but I thought I'd rather seek help without an in-person trip to the doctor's office under the circumstances. So I managed to use telemedicine contacting my dermatologist. Luckily he was able to work with me using pictures of my skin lesions sent by phone.

On another note, over the last two weeks, I have been enjoying the uncommon warm weather by going for walks around the neighborhood. Definitely there are signs of spring around us in mid-February. Yep! Spring is just around the corner.

Hope you have a lovely weekend! xx

Time Is a Monster

I stayed up late last night thinking about the future; mostly about time. I got so caught up with my thoughts that I could not sleep.
What does the future hold in store for all humanity? What will my future life be like?

Time is a monster. Time devours us all. It devours everything, our precious relationships, the stuff we have, our possessions. Most importantly, time devours our years away.

Oh well, it's very easy to get swept up in our thoughts...

Hope you have a great weekend! xx

My New Life of Isolation

{Parnassos Mountain horses, Greece. Photo taken April 27, 2013}

My dears, I hope you and your families are safe and well. I have been at home for more than 40 days now. My life has changed. Everyone's life has changed since Covid-19 struck. This is my new reality.
Building resilience is very important right now. So I have turned to my favorite photographs to cure "coronavirus claustrophobia". I am an animal lover and these pictures of the horses just...

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope you had a gorgeous week. So I thought I'd do a short update post on my life lately...

First off, I am very excited and honored to have been interviewed for Street Photography Magazine Whoot! It's a great honor and an absolute pleasure! Huge thanks to founder/editor of the magazine Bob Patterson and the lovely Ashley Hunsberger.

I highly recommend everybody with a passion for street photography to check out this wonderful magazine as they are many other interesting articles and interviews by some amazing photographers.

Take a look! Interview with Betty Manousos.

Developing an active lifestyle - Going out instead of staying in.

A recent stroll on the beach really paid off.

I am currently working on a photography project about the effects of global climate change.

Enjoying the sunshine, as rain is on the way.

I am eagerly anticipating the new season. Hello, Autumn!

Hope you have a relaxing weekend! xx

We Are Only Humans

Last night when I was lying in bed with my eyes closed trying to sleep, this question came to mind.
What would I like to improve about myself?
Well, it's not really one thing. I have many things that I'd like to improve about myself actually.

Neale Donald Walsch once said: "Only when you stop letting fears hold you back, will you start to make those major breakthroughs in life". That phrase hit home. And I suddenly realized that getting out of my comfort zone is the answer!

I've finally figured it out. I'll be honest. I am afraid of failing, at least some of the time. And that fear of failure stops me doing the things that can move me forward to achieve my goals.
In fact, I really need to overcome my fear of failure. So how do I step past the fear? I think I need to use some mental tricks for stepping outside of my comfort zone:
Switching up my routine, trying something new and moving toward the fear.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend. xx

(Photos from my ongoing project Dérives (Drifts) on Life Framer.)

Life Update : Why I've Been MIA

Hello, my lovely readers! Some of you may have noticed I've been MIA for the past three months. Here's what happened. Sibling's hip fracture surgery, a week in a hospital, nearly two months of physical therapy, and intense fear about my sibling's health. I was so anxious, depressed and focused on the hospital I hardly slept. Having a family member ill is physically and emotionally draining.

So I had to stop blogging for almost three months to look after my sibling, but I'll be back into regular posting next week. Breaking a bone is never a good thing, but breaking a hip is particularly bad. In those three months, we worried - a lot, but fortunately things are improving and my beloved sibling is on the mend now.

So I'm back! Thanks so much for sticking with me.

Hope you have a relaxing weekend. xx

Love Letters From the Archive

I don't usually share about my personal life here on the blog, but I began to realize that it's time for me to open myself up a little more to readers, in an effort to be authentic.
So. I was archiving old photographs and I came across these letters; still, some of the most beautiful gems in...

Hello there. Happy December 1st! I hope you all have a great December this year.
So, you might have noticed, I haven't posted for a while here and on social media, and I wanted to explain why. Here's what happened...

Hello! I'm back from a two-month blogging break, which was by far the longest break that I've taken since starting Cut and Dry eight years ago, holy smokes. It has been forever since I've written a post and I apologize but it's not because I didn't want to post.

For the last two months I was having some difficult personal circumstances. I can't go into any detail on this because it's important that I respect the privacy of other people in my personal life.

Anyway, I've missed you! And I have so much to share with you. And I'm happy to be back!

Happy Father's Day to all the dads, dads-to-be, and dads at heart out there.

Hope you're having a wonderful month. xx

Recalling My Trip to Amsterdam

Westerdok District, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

When I first visited Amsterdam over 10 years ago, I was really impressed by the Golden Age bridges and canals, houseboats, whirring bikes (cycling is key to the city's character), magnificent museums (Amsterdam has over 60 museums), floating flower markets, and of course the abundance of coffee shops.
My memories of my first visit to Amsterdam are the Rijksmuseum, Ann Frank's house, canals, houseboats, and a day trip to see Tulip fields.
Apart from these sights - that attract millions of people annually - I was also interested in exploring what street food to eat in Amsterdam.
I never imagined that French fries (patat in Dutch) are one of the most popular street foods in Netherlands. You'll find French fries stalls at almost every corner in Amsterdam. They serve it with a variety of mayo; mustard mayo, peanut mayo, spicy mayo...

My travel companion and I had decided to stay on a houseboat. This was a great decision. I think staying on a houseboat is the best way to enjoy the "Spirit of the city". The houseboat was terrific, it was clean and comfortable and had everything you need. They call Amsterdam the Venice of the North. The city has 165 canals, 1,281 bridges, and around 2,500 houseboats, due to the housing shortage in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam, the free-spirited Dutch capital is one of Europe's great cities. I do hope to visit here again one day.

Hope you have an adventurous weekend! xx

P.S. Sadly, I accidentally deleted every photograph I had taken from my Amsterdam trip. :(

(Photo via AirPano.)

December is Such a Tricky Month...

...filled with mixed emotions. (For me at least.)

It's December, can you even believe it? Nope, not me! As Christmas fast approaching, I realize I still have mixed feelings about Christmas and really struggle to get into it every year. Why? I've lost both my parents in the last ten years. Part of the reason is they both spent their last Christmas in hospital and were so ill. My parents used to absolutely love this time of year and having the family get together at Xmas. Let's face it: Holidays are particularly hard for people who have suffered a loss.

Unfortunately, Christmas highlights the loss, so I'm sure like all of us who have lost loved ones, this time of year makes us feel our loss more intensely.
Yes, there are happy moments and more memories made but it really is to me a bittersweet time of the year. I have, though, found ways to embrace the holidays rather than just get through them.
I still enjoy Christmas and am very much attached to the decorating and baking, and dorky Christmas music. I love that it's a time when my busy siblings can catch up and get together, but it's not like what we used to have - will never be quite the same.
Christmas is such an emotional time anyway.

Hope you have a great weekend! xx

P.S. My heart goes out to those who have lost a loved one, family member, friend.

(Photo of Hitchcock as a grandpa.)

Six Habits that Changed My Life for the Better

There are many tiny habits you can do to change your life in big ways. Today I'm sharing my simple list of six habits that changed my life for the better.
Everybody is different, and everybody has different ways of dealing with life's challenges and difficulties, but if you're looking for suggestions you may find these helpful.
You might be surprised by how much of a difference a few small habits can make in your life.

1. Have a purpose. Having a dream (aka the reason you wake up in the morning) is one of the most important things in remaining optimistic when things get tough.

2. Life-long learning. Read books, try new things, explore new cultures. Life-long learning is the key to happiness as it keeps your mind open. (I can't help it - I'm passionate about it!)

3. Cultivate Gratitude. Be grateful for something every day. Practicing gratitude on a daily basis has become a major source of positiveness and optimism in my life.

4. Enjoy yourself more! Take joy in the daily things you do. Spend some time each day doing something you're passionate about, just for fun.

5. Declutter your home, declutter your schedule, declutter your mind. Let go of the past. Let go of the things that no longer serve you. It's liberating!

6. Physical health. Make it a goal to add more fresh foods (raw fruit or vegetables) into your meals. Kickstart your system by drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning.

It Feels Good To Be Back!

Hello!! I hope you've all been well. I feel like I've been away from the blog for ages, and I'm looking forward to catching up.
It was awesome to get a break, but I'm happy to be back! It was...

Hello! Happy Friday y'all! I hope everyone is enjoying their summer! I'm still on vacation (read: staycation) trying to soak up as much relaxation as possible, but I wanted to drop in and say hi. Thank you for taking the time to read, follow, etc. my blog here. It really means a lot to me.

I am enjoying my break here, just finished my first cup of coffee and am editing tons of old photos on my computer. Just thought I'd give you some eye candy and return to my break; thanks for looking!

Hope you have a great weekend! xx

P.S. Missed you. All. Immensely.