There are lots of discussions these days about reinventing yourself. What the heck does that mean? Is there something wrong with me the way I am? Am I boring? Is my life dull? Madonna reinvents herself all the time and has since the beginning of her career. Is she different upon each reinvention, or is it a marketing ploy? Jlo reinvents herself. She's always the good 'ole gal from down the street, but she's a mogul with multiple images. Is she reinvented or marketed? Both, I suspect.

With the publication of the book I've written, I've reinvented myself. I'm still my old self, but there is a side coming out of me that has been left unattended for quite some time. TJ Corman, the author, is more the way I used to be when I was a younger woman. She's a bit cheeky. She pushes the limit a bit. She dresses in sexy clothes and feels hot (literally and figuratively). She is having fun.

These days, I apply red lipstick with utter abandon, something I used to wear all the time. It was part of my signature look. Then I stopped wearing it for years. Ginny, the main character in my book, is concerned that red lipstick makes her look older. I thought that for a long time too, but I'm over it now. I'm back to wearing red lipstick, and I love it. It doesn't make me look old. It looks great, and I feel vibrant with it on. I had forgotten how red lipstick made me feel – sexy, confident, beautiful. So I'm slapping it on daily now and reinventing myself.

I've also found my closet again. I love clothes, bold looks and bling. Black and red and white are my signature colours. I've often said that my entire world is like that old joke from when we were kids, "What's black and white and red (read) all over?" A newspaper is the answer. But really, it's my world. My dog is black and white, and my car is black and white, with red seat covers. Almost all my clothes are those three colours. I've strayed to other colours, but I've reunited with my standards, and I'm happy about it.

I've also started to "shop my closet." It's a jungle in there. I've recently been reorganizing it, transitioning from summer to winter clothes, changing hangers to those skinny velvet ones that use up less space. So, now there is more room for more clothes. NO. Not for me. I'm shopping in my closet. I have clothes in there that I've never worn. Embarrassing. 

As I confessed to you earlier, I've been caught wearing my pyjamas all day long, so some days I get dressed up just for the fun of it. I do my hair and apply that red lipstick. I'm becoming that young lady who used to live in the city (I live in the country now). I was horrified one day when I realized things had changed for me. I wore something to the grocery store that I wouldn't have worn gardening when I lived in the city. And, of course, I ran into someone I hadn't seen in a long time. I felt slovenly and unstylish. I'm over that now. I'm definitely reinvented or rediscovered and on my way to something new. What once was old is new again.

Remember to check out "Mama Cooked Today," my recipe blog, and let me know if you try it. I invite you to follow me on Instagram and Facebook.
​
That's it for now. Have yourself the best day. I'll speak to you again next Sunday.

I took these photos when Husband and I travelled to Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Jerusalem is sometimes referred to as the holiest place on earth, as three significant religions reside there, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. More than eight and a half million people live there in approximately 125 square kilometres of space. It's crowded - and hot.

Once in a while, you get to visit a place where you can feel it's power. Uluru, Australia, is one of those places. The air vibrates with an inexplicable energy. That's the way it was for us as we walked down the streets of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. We walked the same path, the Via Dolorosa, where Jesus pulled his cross along his final steps toward his crucifixion. We touched the marble slab where his body was anointed after his death. To stand at the places where Jesus was born and then resurrected was incredible.

The pictures show the juxtaposition of the ancient and the modern. Western commercial and economic influences are evident. Cobblestone walkways polished shiny from billions of footsteps over millennia—the Roman Empire's impact in architecture amid the cities modern-day inhabitants. It was a wonderland there - a truly magical place.

That's it for now. Have yourself the best day. I'll speak to you again tomorrow.

TJCorman

This picture of Jolly 'Ole St. Nick was taken at, you guessed it, the local Light Up Festival. The photo on the left is the original. It's quite ordinary and not a spectacular picture, but as I've been stressing in previous posts, notice how different a simple photograph can look with the help of a filter. The centre photo uses the Star Dust filter, and the last image is using the Sketch Art filter. I love how the Christmas tree looks like it is a cut-out ginger cookie dripping with icing in the last picture. Think twice before you delete what might have the potential to be a creative shot.

I hope you've enjoyed my photography tutorials. It might seem a bit off track, but it's all part of getting to know me. Let me know what you get up to for hobbies. Please post some of your original photographs.

That's it for now. Have yourself the best day. I'll speak to you again tomorrow.

TJCorman

Above is another photo set, taken a couple of years ago at the Christmas Light Up Festival. The photo on the left is the original. It's an interesting photo in and of itself, but notice how it changes and improves with the greyscale filter.

That's it for now. Have yourself the best day. I'll speak to you again tomorrow.

TJCorman

Our local Christmas Light Up Festival is an annual event that attracts thousands of people in our area. The air is filled with the aroma of hot chocolate and fresh cookies. Street vendors are everywhere. Chestnuts roast on an open fire, choirs sing, bands play, and of course, Santa Claus makes an appearance. Fireworks fill the night sky with bursts of sparkles and light. It's a terrific event put on by a small town, and all the locals enjoy this extraordinary family Christmas celebration. Sadly, there was no Light Up Festival this year because of the pandemic. I am hopeful that it will be on again next year so I can dance a bit, sing a bit and take a few more photographs.

Above is an original photograph I took at the Light Up Festival a couple of years ago. It's incredible what can be achieved with filters to create a custom photo. On the left is the original. On the right is the original through the negative filter. Enjoy.

That's it for now. Have yourself the best day. I'll speak to you again tomorrow.

TJCorman