INTRODUCTION TO THE MUSE PART
Today I’m going to share photos, but first I’m going to tell you why I’m sharing these particular photos. I have a reason.
A muse, if you will.
People influence you in life. It’s all about where you place your power, but you know that [or at least you should].
Getting to my point…
Many, many years ago when I was newbie blogger [mid-2000s] there was a blogger, Rayleen*, who was a professional portrait photographer. She was into poetry and musings and, of course, photos. The ones on her blog were informal & not necessarily of people.
Her vibe was mellow, her thoughts were straightforward, and her use of light when snapping pics was awe-inspiring. She had a positive influence on me and how I went about learning to blog.
On your journey to be a better blogger ultimately it’s NOT the people who tell you how to blog with their well-intentioned lists and rules, it’s the people who show you how to blog with their own style, allowing you to learn and grow from their examples.
THE MUSE PART CONTINUED
One autumn day Rayleen mentioned that she had begun to notice, and thought it was a shame, that people on social media were only sharing photos of perfection. Nothing messy was going on because it was all staged.
She was prescient on this point.
Have you seen Instagram lately?
On that day she encouraged personal bloggers to occasionally share photos without deeper meaning or treasured memories. Instead, take photos showing imperfection, mundane moments in time that record the normal messiness of ordinary life.
Focus at least briefly on things around you that you tend to push aside, or ignore, when snapping photos for social media.
In other words, allow yourself to be vulnerable, to be real, by showing the world your own special messiness for no reason other than you can.
So today as a tribute to Rayleen and as a way of saying thanks for her guidance, I’m sharing photos of nothing much in particular. We were ships that passed in the night and because we did I’m a more authentic and open-minded blogger.
THE PHOTOS OF MUNDANE MOMENTS PART

Dirty dishes in the sink & on the kitchen counter
~ • ~

Assorted stuff heaped on the hutch
~ • ~

Piles of pillows on the screened-in porch
~ • ~

Old-fashioned time-wasters on the end table
~ • ~

Boxes of stuff destined for Goodwill in the garage
THE QUESTIONS OF THE DAY PART
Can you think of someone who came into any aspect of your life who influenced you then disappeared leaving you better off for knowing this person?
Have you posted photos on social media that show the daily, often overlooked, messiness of your life?
Which of the above photos is your favorite? And why?
~ ~ • ~ ~
* I think this is the proper spelling of her name, at least that’s how I remember it. Could have been Reyleen or Raylene– or Reylene, I guess. It’s been a loooong time. I shall not fret if I got her name wrong.