Who am I kidding? As much as I would love to believe that getting a year older in your 40’s is similar to your 20’s it is not. I would love to be able to say that I am in just as great shape now as I was at 23, but I am not. I would love to say that I am as footloose and fancy free, but I am not. But, there are many things that I am now that I would never have been able to do at 23.
From the opening of Target, Billings Bridge
I am a mother to three wonderful children. A who is now 21 and living on his own working full time still fills my heart when he comes over. He isn’t with us in our daily lives any more, but our family is complete when we are all together. J who is now 10 is one of the kindest, loving kids you will ever meet. His soft heart and big snuggles is a great reminder of why 43 is way better than 23. And sweet Apple who is now 6 is strong and determined, she has yet to meet a challenge she can’t overcome and also fills my day with cuddles, crafts and love. All of this was not in my cards at 23. The only thing that was really important way back then was driving my convertible, going to University and getting ready to go out at 10pm at night.
We must not forget Hubby. Although we knew each other twenty years ago, we were not together, just passing friends hanging out by our best friends pool. So yes, 43 is better than 23.
This past year, at 42, I did more than I could have ever imagined possible. I traveled throughout the US, mostly for work but a little for fun, getting to experience things that I would have been way to chicken to do at 23. I went to Las Vegas, twice! Once for my Photography business and once for my Arbonne business both amazing and both very different. I experienced Las Vegas while learning and enjoying a little of the Vegas life. I spoke at the Blissdom conference in Dallas, I photographed a party in Chicago for Yappem, and I got to attend the wedding of one of our best friends in Santa Ynez, California. None of these places I had been to before (well I have been to Chicago, but driving through on the Interstate is a little different than actually walking around downtown). I photographed two conferences in Toronto and I made numerous trips to Delaware. If someone had asked me at 23 if I would be doing all of this cool and wonderful stuff I would have laughed. At 23 I was a homebody, taking my annual pilgrimage to Delaware and waiting for the next year to come around so I could do it again.
Add to all that cool and fun stuff I have been privileged to do this year, I have also had many amazing work opportunities right here in Ottawa. When I am not on the road I am most definitely working. I have photographed events, weddings and amazing families. I have met Farmers from all over the US while photographing their conference, I have met people from the travel industry while photographing for Niagara Falls and Toronto Tourism. And honestly each and every job I have done touches my heart in some way. They are all not just jobs to me, but experiences that make me who I am today at 43. While attending the wedding in Santa Ynez, one I could actually watch without a camera in my hand, I shed tears of joy. My husbands best friend and someone I call brother was finally getting married. One of our friends commented that they were surprised that I could still cry at a wedding after so many years of photographing weddings and the truth is, I cry at each and every one of them. Each wedding is special and I get to know my clients and what I feel for them as they take their vows is true happiness.
So if this is what is in store for me at 43, I will take it. I look forward to 43 knowing that I have a few great projects ahead of me, a little more travel (let’s see if I can top 28 airplanes from this year) and so many things that are yet to come my way but will in a surprising and amazing way. 43 is good.
Tags:
anna epp photography,
arbonne,
birthday,
Blissdom,
chicago,
dallas,
Las Vegas,
yappem
I am going to out on a limb here and say it outright, I am a day late on my post, but I am going to throw it out there anyway because I know I would be an awesome choice to Blog for the Banff World Media Festival.
For those of you who have never heard of the Banff World Media Festival, I am only going to excuse you because you knew it as two separate festivals for many years. It is formerly known as the Banff World Televsion Festival and the Banff Medial Festival, however, with the way that Television is moving into the digital age it made more sense to combine the two festivals together for one amazing Festival that showcases it all.
When doing research for a post, I like to go to all my sources. Knowing my own Sister attended the Banff World Television Festival for many years with her job at Heritage Canada, I decided I needed to interview her and get her thoughts on #Banff2012. The main question I wanted her to answer for me from an industry standpoint was, what makes this Festival so amazing compared to other festivals, what is it that brings people to Banff? Looking through the schedule, you see many spots where there are Face to Face sessions, these sessions are there for you to bring your ideas and screen plays in front of the decision makers, producers are there to hear all about the next generation of television. These pitch sessions happen, you get to meet the people who can do it for you and will tell you yes or no, right there on the spot. Bringing the decision makers to the Banff World Media Festival is what sets it apart from the others.
I am a little nervous to admit that I remember when television was a Saturday and Sunday affair, when you looked ahead to the TV guide to see what was on and you planned around it. You gathered around the one television (and quite possibly a Black and White one like we had) and watched the Saturday morning cartoons or Sunday Movie special. There was no going to another room to watch a different show, if the Hockey game was on you watched it because that was what Dad was watching. I have seen television grow and change, where households moved from one black and white to multiple colour televisions, from Beta and VHS to DVD and BluRay. We are now in an on demand world where we want our television when we want it and not when the schedule says. The world of television programming is changing rapidly and I would love nothing more than to attend Banff 2012 to see what is coming up next for us.
In addition to the amazing Keynote Speakers, Paul Chard of Mediacom and Paul Lee, President of ABC Television and the In Conversation sessions with Lifetime Achievement Winner Larry King and Nikesh Arora of Google who won the Award for Innovation there are so many more amazing sessions to attend. The biggest problem will be trying to decide which ones to go to with four days packed full of information, it will be hard to decide for sure.
It wouldn’t be right if I didn’t talk a little bit about how nextMedia . nextMedia is offering a whole program within the Festival, bringing many leading digital executives to Banff. Discussing branded content, media buying and new technology, organizing Face to Face sessions and showcasing new online media. nextMedia is bringing you together with the brands allowing you to network with the key players in media and branding. Having attended many blogging and social media conferences in the last few years (BlogHer’10 & ’11, Blissdom Canada’10 & ’11, Blissdom ’12, She’s Connected ’10 & ’11), following the nextMedia track alone would fill my cup to overflowing with amazing information and content.
Add to all of the amazing information that will be there, the Rockies Awards that will be handed out, parties that will be attended is also the fact that it will be held in Banff, Alberta and as a photographer you couldn’t ask for a more amazing place to photograph. I would love the opportunity to blog for #Banff2012, experience the thrill of being a part of television and media for future generations
Tags:
Banff World Media Festival,
Banff2012,
Blissdom,
Blissdom Canada,
Blogging for Banff,
Blogher,
media conferences
And the winner of the @ Necklace with your Twitter Handle from Blend Creations is……
Domestic Extrodinaire!!! I will be sending you an email in just a few minutes. Congratulations and thank you all for stopping by to enter the giveaway and a special Thank you to Vivian at Blend Creations for generously giving one to one of my readers. I hope to see a lot more of you wearing them at Blissdom next year!!
Tags:
@ Necklace,
At Necklace,
Blend Creations,
Blissdom
