Samuel Barr Photography has a new blog!

Well, God has blessed me again and I'm so excited to share with you the 2nd of the 3 big announcements regarding Samuel Barr Photography. I am happy to announce the new blog for Samuel Barr Photography:


www.samuelbarr.com/journal


Please update your bookmarks and c'mon over - there's always a hot meal and a warm seat waiting for you (well, maybe not a hot meal but definitely a warm seat just for you)!

Thank you for visiting my old blog and I look forward to seeing you at my new online journal. :-)

New Availability

Happy Thursday! Just wanted to share that I have a few "choice" dates available in 2008. This is a perfect time to book an autumn family portrait session or engagement session. And, with the holidays just around the corner it's also a great time to book now for that special Thanksgiving generational portrait and Christmas party. To learn more simply send an email to sb@samuelbarr.com.

PS

I have two big announcements to share with you and I promise it won't take as long to reveal. :-)

Look at what The Lord has done!

Well, after months of teasing I'm finally getting around the sharing the BIG news. Thank you for being so patient. :-)

Last year the Lord started dealing with me about a studio. My business model doesn't include a studio as I work out of my home. And, after speaking with a myriad of photographers who own studios it became clear that right now my business doesn't need the overhead associated with a photography studio.

But, the Lord kept leading me to different locations and asking me "do you want that?" Deep down, if cost wasn't an issue, I'd like to have a nice and trendy space to interview clients and showcase my work. My home is cool and trendy, and I have my work mounted everywhere, but it is too small to really make the "presentation" that I desire. So, I would always answer God and say, "I can't afford a studio."

Still, God kept leading me to different places and I would experience the same prompting over and over again. My Pastor is always telling us that God will always show you something that is more than you think you can handle because He is going to do the work, not you (I probably jacked-up that statement but you get the idea). It's by His might, not mine. So, I finally reached the point where I answered the Lord and said, "OK, it's too expensive for me right now but if that be your will then I receive it."

Well, in May of this year something very special happened - I now share a facility that includes a hallway with marble floors, an elevator, a meeting area, full-size kitchen, fireplace, espresso machine and vaulted ceilings all surrounded by rich redwood paneling. And, it's WiFi! I am very comfortable interviewing couples regarding their destination weddings and family portrait sessions in this space.

But, that's not all! I now have an "office/studio" without all of the expensive overhead that I didn't want. Isn't God good? No, I don't own it. And "yes" I share this space with other people and business owners but that isn't a problem. When I'm there I feel like singing the Jefferson's TV theme song "Movin' on up."

So, there you have it. That's the big news I've wanted to share with you. All I can say is look at what the Lord has done!


This is one of the facilities I looked at. This one is significant as this became available right around the time I stop fighting God and said "...I receive it."


The Hallway


The corridor to the elevator


The view looking over the balcony


The fireplace as seen from the upstairs balcony


Dinning facilities off of the Kitchen


The Kitchen


The Conference Room


View looking out of the conference room


The Conference Room

So, who would like to be the first couple that shares their wedding photography desires with me in my new "office/studio?" Drop me a line as I'm going to do something special for the very first couple. :-)

New Collection of Prints

Happy Sunday! I'm in and out today but couldn't wait to share my newest fine art prints with you. I'm working with my printer on the various sizes and will provide a link momentarily. I'm really excited about this group of images as they represent a new artistic direction I've taken with my abstract art. I hope you like them. Have a great Sunday!

Meet Alijah

Happy Saturday! Yesterday, I had the opportunity to photograph my friend's new baby boy Alijah. And, what I thought would only take thirty minutes took a good hour+ as we had so much fun playing with him. Yes, I probably spent just as much time playing with him as I did photographing him. I love children so I can't help but want to see them laugh and play when I'm around them (blame it on the big kid inside of me).

What was also special about this session was the care and attention Alijah's father gives him. Unfortunately, in our society men get a bad rap as not being affectionate and that simply isn't true.

Maybe it's a "guy" thing but yesterday his uncles were there and all of us were happy, laughing, and just joyous watching little Alijah. I was so focused on capturing all of Alijah's moves and expressions that I didn't photograph his uncles. But, they were laughing and playing with his toys to get him to smile and you could tell that they are in love with their new nephew. The love was so thick that you could literally cut it with a knife. And, it was great to see!

So, here's a few images from our afternoon photo session that I thought you'd enjoy. Ladies and Gentlemen may I have the privilege of introducing you to the next President of the United States (or whatever else his heart desires) - Mr. Alijah Walter Brown.
















When we first arrived at the park this young man was playing with his parents about 50 feet away. When we first set up he saw the basketball and came right over, picked it up, and started playing with it. Well, about 10 minutes later as I was shooting Alijah with the basketball he came over again to play with it but we weren't finished. That's when I snapped these images as this moment was just too cute to miss.






As we were finishing up this young lady walked over and informed us that the park was closing and we would have to leave. So, I thought she was cute and asked her to take a picture with Alijah. At first she seemed taken aback and when she started to walk away Alijah started crying. Immediately, she rushed over to see why he was crying and as the saying goes "the rest is history." Her face lit up like a Christmas tree and she was "oohing" and "awwing" all over him.

Isn't it interesting the effect babies have on people? I've seen babies bring together people who had refused to speak with one another, never mind be in the same room with each other. And yet an infant, with one gesture, can melt even the hardest heart of stone and turn it into jelly. All I can say is that children are a gift and a miracle. Have a great weekend!

The End of Times

What is going on here? I had to work late last night and when I walked out of the door headed for my car this is what I saw. This humongous storm system swept though from nowhere. The clouds were moving very fast and rolling into one another with lightening everywhere. What was strange was that there wasn't much thunder. Call me crazy or "you've watched too many horror movies dude" but it looked like the end of life as we know it. And, as soon as I returned to my car and closed the door the heavens opened up and it began to rain like crazy.

Here's a few more images from tonight's incredible sky show. The image above is straight-out-of-camera, all I did to it was remove the digital noise and add contrast. I have to admit that I did "play" around with the light and colors in the images below.

All I can say, especially after tonight, is please get your life together (if you know what I mean).






OK, besides horror movies I've probably seen too many Sci-Fi flicks as this looks like a portal to another universe. Do you feel me on this one?




This was a big storm system as I have at least an hour commute and this was the scene on my end of town. There was this really cool magenta color to part of the sky as the setting sun was being swallowed by the storm clouds. Again, call me crazy but I have never seen anything like this before. I think Jesus is coming back soon, real soon. Be blessed!

A truly remarkable man

With all of the world talking about the game of Tennis I wanted to share something special with you. After his retirement he never returned to the game. But, one of the greatest, least known, and (outside of the tennis world) least respected players of all time - Mr. Bjorn Borg is finally getting the respect he deserves.

If you watched last year's or this year's Wimbledon finals then you heard John McEnroe talk about how disciplined Bjorn was and how great of a player he was. And yet, even the man the greats are calling "the greatest player to ever play the game" couldn't top Bjorn's record.

Here's a short interview with the player who forever changed the game of tennis, both inside and outside of the court. Bjorn, you truly are one remarkable man.

(Part 1)


(Part 2)

I've just witnessed the impossible!

Yelp, he did it. Two rain delays, almost five hours later and in almost complete darkness he did it. Rafael Nadal has just defeated five-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer in what has to be THE greatest match in tennis history. Nadal defeated Federer 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7 in what is now the longest final match in Wimbledon history. Even the legendary John McEnroe, who has played in some of the greatest matches in Wimbledon history, called today's affair the greatest he's ever seen. In fact, he looked like he was in tears towards the end of his post-match interviews. And if you know anything about John McEnroe you know that he ain't the cryin' type.

I've been a tennis "nut" for at least 20+ years. At one time in my life I wanted to become a professional tennis player. I started playing too late to be a pro but if I was good enough I would have tried my hand at the ATP Tour. Being involved in tennis for that long I've been blessed to witness some of the greatest players to ever play including (in no particular order):

Borg
Connors
McEnroe
Lendl
Everett
King
Navratilova
Graf
Becker
Cash
Agassi
Sampras
The Williams Sisters
Edberg
Wilander

...just to name a few. And I have to admit that what I saw today was the finest match I've ever seen.

What made it so special was not only the history and drama but the level of play was remarkable. For example, one of Federer's forehands was clocked at 101 mph. Both of these guys serve around 120 mph and they hit that hard for the entire match.

Today's match was more like a Heavyweight Championship Fight between the world's best sluggers. They entered the ring, both champions, and hit each other with everything they had, standing toe-to-toe in the middle of the ring, both refusing to quit.

Believe it or not, despite admitting that this loss was hard, there were times during the trophy ceremony where Roger seemed happy for Nadal. But, given his level of professionalism and sportsmanship I'm not surprised. As we say in martial art circles, "they both fought with honor."

Even if you're not a fan of tennis I hope you had an opportunity to see today's historic match. It went back and forth with both men fighting to the bitter end. And because of their respect for one another and high character as athletes, it was also a great example of how to conduct yourself with class in winning and in losing. Wow, what a match!

Rain Delay...

Not quite the view from Wimbledon but you get the idea. This is a big development as Rafael Nadal was on the verge of possibly winning in straight sets and finally beating Federer. Last year, when he was even closer to possibly beating Federer he injured his knee, took an injury time out, and that was enough time for Federer to pull himself together and win his 5th straight title. So, will history repeat itself? Only time will tell...

Breakfast at Wimbledon

Today is a great day for Tennis fans all over the world. I'm up early to see if the world's No. 1 player Rodger Federer can win his 6th straight Wimbledon title against his arch nemesis and world's No. 2 player Rafael Nadal. According to the official Wimbledon website:

"This will be the third straight Wimbledon final between the two, with Nadal getting closer and closer. In fact, last year's five-set classic was the only time Federer has been taken the full distance on grass in his 65 successive victories on the surface.

If he wins, Roger will eclipse Bjorn Borg's Open era record of five Wimbledons in succession, set between 1976 and 1980, and he has certainly made impressive progress this past fortnight, winning all six of his matches in straight sets and only dropping serve on two occasions.

Federer is also still hot in pursuit of the holy grail of the men's game, the record of 14 Grand Slam titles held by Pete Sampras. Victory today would lift the Swiss to 13, with another of his favourite tournaments, the US Open, looming over the horizon late next month."

Here's a quick testimony - I don't have cable as I don't watch much television. So, my "Rabbit Ears" could never really tune-in NBC that well so I couldn't see any of these great matches. But, God has blessed me and this year I'm watching the finals on a wide screen in High Definition. God is good!

This should be a great match. Now, where's my cup of coffee? Hmmm, I wonder if Starbucks is open this early?

I must be losing my mind!

Yes, I wasn't thinking.

I went to see Will Smith's new movie Hancock at my local 30+ megaplex. What in the world was I thinking? School is out; it is the weekend; it is the July 4th Holiday weekend; and I went to a see a Will Smith movie during its opening weekend. Will's July 4th holiday movie openings have been some of the largest grossing holiday movie openings of all time.

To top that off, I decided to get some movie popcorn and a drink. The smallest combo they had was $11.00. You gotta be kiddin' me? You see, I never buy snacks at the movies so I was surprised at the prices. To keep from consuming all of the sugar and syrup in the soda I asked for water. $11.00 bucks for a small popcorn? I must be losing my mind...







If you haven't heard about "Hancock" check this out!

Happy 4th of July!

Today, we celebrate our independence as a nation in the US. July 4th is full of cookouts, friends, music, fun and fireworks. It is one of the high points of the summer for us. I wish everyone a safe, joyous, and fun 4th of July holiday!

Crazy Clouds

Wow! We have had the most bizarre weather this summer. Lots of thunder storms that sometimes show up and at other times pass over but make the sky look like it's Armageddon.

But, one of the bonuses of having so many strange weather systems in our region is that they produce some of the most beautiful night skies you will ever see. So, here's to a Happy Wednesday and the beauty of the crazy clouds!

Loving Life!

Yesterday was the first day of the famous Taste of Chicago summer festival. And, being so close to the ocean I couldn't help myself and left the "Taste" to take a boat tour along the harbor. I have some great images to share with you from my excursion but for now here's a few "hot off the press" that I thought you'd enjoy.

The weather is wonderful today so have a great Sunday!

Summer Fun!

A few weekends ago we had our annual Summer Pool Party and it was a blast! Last year I broke my Olympus Stylus Epic as it got wet during a cannonball by one of the kids (once it dried out it worked but I didn't want to risk it again). So, this year I picked up an underwater case for my Fuji F10 and this event was the time I tried it out.

I was a little skeptical at first but it held up well. It did come apart twice but fortunately there was no damage to my camera. I don't know if I rolled it up correctly so I will have to "play" with it some more.

Being able to be in and under the water is great as you're exposed to angles and perspectives that are only available from being in the water. If anyone uses this brand of underwater casing I'd love to learn more about your experiences with it. And, if you'd like to learn more about it check out this website.

Why didn't I think of that?

Never forget that as an entrepreneur and artist you are always selling an experience. Starbucks, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, BWM, Panera Bread and Lexus all understand this basic principle of marketing in the new millennium. And because they understand how to reach a sophisticated audience born with and adept at using the Internet/YouTube/iPod/iPhone/Playstation (insert your favorite whizbang gaget) these brands continue to survive and thrive despite the economic highs and lows of our economy.

Well, meet a couple of guys who used a little creativity and an ordinary/everyday product, in an over-saturated market, to create prosperity, freedom, and long-term growth for themselves and for their company. I believe this falls into the category of "Why didn't I think of that?"

Summer Love

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend. With the summer now in full swing I've been spending a lot of time at the marina and downtown. And of course that means I have to take my camera with me to capture the beauty of this city. I haven't forgotten to share with you the big news regarding what God has done, nor the images from my weekend photo shot at Morton Arboretum. So, here's to a week full of wonderful weather and ever-increasing creativity. Have a great Tuesday!

Summer Breeze

Happy Friday! And, thank God it's finally here.

I love the summer, I mean I really LOVE the summer. Sunshine and good weather just does something to me creatively. Although the winters here are crazy the summers are mild and quite pleasant. Recently, I had to spend some time downtown and couldn't resist sharing some of the beautiful Chicago summer with you.

There are two fountains in Millennium Park where you can get drenched in water. There were hundreds of kids there having a ball. In fact they were having so much fun that I wanted to join in and get wet. I wasn't prepared that day but I will return and join in - beer belly and all.

Here's to the joys of youth and the blessing of summer! Have a great weekend.

(This post was made @Caribou Coffee - Sam's home away from home office)

There can only be one...

You gotta love this game!

One more thing...

The Internet is a beautiful thing! With a little help from Google I found my old martial arts instructor and karate association from Germany! Is that cool or what? Check it out:

Black Knight Karate Association

We practiced the Okinawan art of Gojuryu and I was with them for a little more than a year. This was my instructor in Germany - Mr. Oneal (we called him Sgt. back then). Believe it or not I've met and trained with this man - Mr. Edward M. Brown Jr. And, before I moved to the Midwest I use to train with the world-renowned Dr. He-Young Kimm in Han Mu Do.

Wow, this is bringing back so many memories. I'll have to scan some of my old black and white prints from the last tournament we hosted on our base. Warning - you're gonna laugh when you see me with my white belt competing in a forms competition. And as some of you may know I used to wrestle way back in High School. I'm not going to post a picture of me in my wrestling tights - the world is not ready for that one yet. Hey, I'm not ready for that one!

If you're interested in learning more about Gojuryu check this out:


And to learn more about Han Mu Do check this out:

A night out with friends

Recently, I had the opportunity to get out of the house and have some fun with a few friends. I don't get out that much so I couldn't resist the invitation for a good time and some good food.

We all met up at a really cool place called Jersey's Pizza and Grill. This was my first time there and it is a great place to chill, grab some really good food, and check out your favorite sporting event. Since we were all martial artist we went to check out the UFC and the place was packed with martial artists from all styles and walks of life. They have two 6' x 10' HD big screens and thirty two 42" HD Flat screens. And the neither the food nor the decor dissappointed.

But, what was really special was that I got to meet some of my fellow students that I haven't met, and was reunited with an old friend from "back in the day." Here's a few snapshots from our evening out that I hope you enjoy. If you're ever in the area do yourself a favor and check out Jersey's.














This is Lorenzo and Bill, two of our school's instructors. Not only are they fantastic martial artists, but they are geniunely great human beings. Everyday they live their lives to help other people any way they can. I've got a lot to learn from them about serving others as they are the "real deal."


Although I just met these guys that night, they treated me like we had been friends for 20 years. I don't know what it is about HapKido but it attracts some of the nicest and "real" people I've ever met.


Lorenzo took some time to share his new website with us. I'm so happy for him and all of the movie success he is having. Not only is he staring in the soon-to-be released martial arts film "Hand-to-Hand", but he's also written and is directing his own film this summer!


This is Bill and Sal. Seven years ago when I started training in HapKido they were both black belts and teachers at our old school. Way back then they endured my myriad of questions and would always take time after class to help me and any other students who needed help.

Well, over the years I was reunited with Bill but had lost touch with Sal. Bill kept in touch with Sal and told Sal that I was training again and he came out to see me. It was really cool seeing Sal after all of these years. He looks great and is now not only highly ranked in HapKido but is also a top Aikido instructor.

What a great evening! If you'd like to learn more about our school check out Ki-Do Dojo. To learn more about Aikido check out Shinjitsudojo.

The Windy City

Chicago is a great big city! I am originally from NYC and have traveled and lived in several cities both in the US and abroad. I LOVED Dusseldorf and Munich. And, Paris wasn't bad either. But, Chicago has become one of my favorite big cities.

Where else in the world can you go from the Yacht Club to the Magnificent Mile to Millennium Park in a little more than a bus/cab ride. Not to mention just about every kind of food you could imagine is right at your fingertips. Yes, the winters are brutal but what a beautiful place this is in the summer!

A Former Life

Happy Monday! Whew, what a week. Time is truly speeding by and waits for no one. But, I've got some cool stuff to share with you so it will be worth it in the end.

While searching for a print for an upcoming portrait competition I "ran" across these images from my days as a technology executive. The young lady on my left is Kim Cattrall, now famous from Sex in the City. Unfortunately, I don't recall the actress' name to my right but both of them were starring in a series on the USA Network. They were on-hand to promote their series and USA had this crazy idea of creating personalized TV Guide covers.

They were both very nice and seemed to really enjoy meeting everyone who stopped by. I'm glad to see the tremendous success Ms. Cattrall is having as she was really kind (this pose was their idea as my idea was really boring).

Although I'm a photographer I love taking pictures with celebrities. It must be the TV guy inside me. Here's a few more that I thought you'd enjoy.

This is me kickin' it with world-famous and "pound-for-pound" one of the greatest fighers ever - Mr. Sugar Shane Mosley.


This is yours truly with boxing legend Evander Holyfield. Please remind me to share the story of how this image came into being. It is a testimony of Evander's big heart and love for people.

Am I My Brother's Keeper?

I don't recall if I've ever shared this with you before? And maybe subconsciously I was a little afraid to. But no more - for we overcome through the power of our testimony!

Not long ago while organizing several hundred print photographs I stumbled upon this image. It is 18 years old and was from the Ramstein Air Show Disaster in Germany. I thought I had given all of my images from this event to the authorities but somehow this one made its way home. It is titled "Am I My Brother's Keeper" and after all of these years it still brings back memories as if it were yesterday.

I won't go into detail as there's so much that happened that day but while I was taking this shot my roommate grabbed me and my other roommate and we started to run as fast as we could. Almost immediately I could feel the heat behind me as the flames from the burning jet fuel began to engulf the area where we were standing. As we felt the heat on our backs getting closer to us we suddenly dove behind a garbage dumpster and hugged the ground. We didn't know if the burning fuel would come over the dumpster, but it was all that was there to cover us.

When we heard the fuel splatter on the dumpster, we got up and witnessed what could only be described as a war zone. Not to be morbid but there were hundreds of people sitting under those canopies engulfed in flames in this image.

On that day my roommate was his brother's keeper - he saved our lives.

Why am I sharing this with you? Because as some of you know I've been really working hard to get my life "back on track." How I got off track I don't know but all I know is I have ended up in a place that I didn't plan on reaching. The only way to describe it is that my life no longer represents me. So, I've had to learn how to exercise my faith in a whole new way to get back to a place where my life represents me.

If you're a frequent reader of my blog then you know that I am often open with my life experiences. I believe that by occasionally sharing my "ups and downs" I can help someone else know that they are not alone, God has not forgotten about them, and they can overcome whatever they are facing in life. That is the spirit of this post as I often have to remind myself of my victories and what God has brought me through. I should have died that day or been severely burned and crippled for life and yet, I wasn't. So, no matter what the enemy says about our lives he's a liar and we have the victory!

Just like David rehearsed his victories before defeating Goliath we should also constantly remind ourselves of what God has done for us. I know that if you change your focus you can change your life.

So, if someone out there is feeling down and defeated be encouraged - the battle is not over and you win!

Thank God for His goodness and focus on what your heart desires and together we will transform our lives into the experiences that best represents us! We are our brother's keepers and I hope this transparent moment encourages someone to never give up, quit or faint!

Have a blessed and empowered day and know that I am praying for you!

The Marina

One of the wonderful things about living in this city is that I'm so close to the water. I've been in love with water since I was a child. And, I've been in love with boating ever since my Grandfather took me fishing when I was little.

As I've gotten older I'm not so crazy about all of the maintenance associated with owning a boat but I LOVE to be out on the water. In fact I'm seriously considering getting a Jet Ski so that I can quickly and easily get back out there. So, I can't help myself as I'm drawn to water like a moth to a flame.

While taking a break from the Gospel Music Festival I "found" myself at the marina on a beautiful afternoon. And it didn't disappoint. For those of you who "feel" me about water and the ocean, here's a few pics from a little time spent at the marina. Enjoy and be blessed!

More from a great time in the park!

What a start to a great week! Here's a few more images "hot off the press" from this weekend's Gospel Music Festival. I hope you enjoy them and I can't wait to share with you the images from the marina! You know how much I love water and yachts.




I included this image as this young lady was sitting approximately 100 feet from the stage. It is a strange paradox as she is homeless and in despair and yet just a few feet away was deliverance. Call me a dreamer but I believe that the word she heard in song will take root in her heart and she will let God heal her soul and transform her life.






One of the things I love about Gospel music is that it brings together people from all walks of life. We all came together to clap our hands, stomp our feet, and praise God in the park. There were people from all over the world and it was great singing, dancing and praising God together!

2008 Chicago Gospel Music Festival

Happy Sunday! I'm just kinda getting home so this post will be short. But, today was simply a gift from God and I've got some great shots from this year's Gospel Music Festival that I believe you're gonna love. Have a great evening and an empowering Monday!

Operation Transformation Update

Well, I finally did it! I began training again in Hapkido and I love it! I've been back to class now for two weeks after a 7 year departure. When I left I was half-way to my black belt and now the time has come to finish what I started.

Friday nights are special as Mr. Eric teaches and he's known for his cardio-from-hell workouts. I kept hearing from my training buddies stuff like, "have you been to Eric's class yet" and "..it's so hard..." Well, since I've returned after such a long layoff I've found ALL of the classes hard. And, tonight was my first class with Mr. Eric and I could really use some aspirin and a hot tub.







But, it's all good and after the first few months my body should be used to being hit again, my wrists/shoulders being twisted every "which-a-way," and my legs being stretched like Mr. Fantastic of the Fantastic Four.

For those of you not familiar with the Hapkido here's a brief sample of what we go through during class:



I'm getting to old for this. Pray for me, please? :-0

PS

If you'd like to learn more about the Hapkido System I train under checkout KidoDojo Martial Arts.

Do you believe dreams do come true?

I know that sounds like a cliche' but do you really believe dreams can come true? To be perfectly honest, sometimes I have my doubts. And whenever I feel like giving up I "run" across a story like Anna's.

They told her that she couldn't sing and that the best she could hope for was the chorus. Her own voice teacher told her that her voice was just average. But, she didn't let that stop her and at the young age of 16 she moved from her small town in Russia to St. Petersburg to become a singer.

She enrolled in the Conservatory of Music and took a job washing floors at the legendary Mariinsky Theater so that she could enjoy the music at night. And as fate would have it one day she had an opportunity to audition for the Musical Director and as the saying goes, "the rest is history." As we used to say down south, "this girl doesn't sing, she sangs!"

But, she didn't stop there. Being true to who she really was she decided to create music videos for Opera (something never done before) and pose for fashion magazines. I can hear opera fans all over the world screaming blasphemy. Right? Wrong.

Her CDs are some of the most popular and best-selling classical CDs in the world. She even takes the number one spot on several pop charts in Europe over Beyonce' and Brittany Spears. And guess who's one of her favorite musical artist? Luciano Pavarotti or Placido Domingo? Try Justin Timberlake.

But her Diva-ness doesn't stop at fashion magazines and music videos. Being the rebel that she is she doesn't have an entourage' or a limo and frequently just walks around both San Francisco and Russia like a regular person.

Because I was classically-trained as a Baritone back in High School I have a "soft" spot for classical music. And the fact that Anna is drop-dead gorgeous has absolutely nothing to do with my admiration of her work ;-)

So, do you believe dreams do come true? God is no respecter of person and if He did it for Anna, He will do it for you and me! If you need a little motivational boost check out the short videos below. Remember, nothing can stop you but you.

Have a great day and never stop dreaming!

Anna Netrebko on CBS's 60 Minutes - Part 1


Anna Netrebko on CBS's 60 Minutes - Part 2


As an added bonus here's Anna singing Puccini's Quando Me'n Vo La Boheme.

Lookin' Good

Happy Wednesday! Just wanted to share a few pics from a little "Spring Cleaning" project I've been working on. Being a highly visual person I like art and have several pieces throughout my home. Well, I've decided to replace the current artwork with my own creations. It's been a slow process but loads of fun. Gotta run, have a great day and never stop dreaming!