Amara In Seattle

09/18/2024

The Out of Towner
🛸🧳🎞️
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A week before the submission deadline,
I started seeing physical & digital postings about The Northwest Flying Saucer Film Fest everywhere. 👽👀
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And while making a short for such a unique event sounded fun, I’d already put money into a trip to Portland for the remaining days… 😕
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Then next morning I awoke at 5AM with a short film idea!💡
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& I quickly developed a simple & flexible production plan:

We’d shoot on my iPhone. 📱
I’d dust off my acting shoes. 🎭
& we’d each take turns behind the camera. 🎥
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I both drove to PDX & shooting began that same day. 🚙
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And when The Out of Towner premiered as a selection for The Northwest Flying Film in Chehalis as part of , I couldn’t help but smile. 😊
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The Out of Towner is now available on the brand new youtube channel: youtube.com/

✨Shine In The Comments✨
What’s a sudden decision you made that turned out to be a win?

Tell the community about it in the comments below.
✨⬇️
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📷 various otherworldly moments from recent adventures ~ details in the pinned comment ⬇️

09/04/2024

Donuts, Coffee, & UFOs
🎬🛸👀
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The Out of Towner, my first sci-fi short, premieres Saturday, September 13th at 6PM PST at The Northwest Flying Saucer Film Festival as part of . 🛸🎉
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The story of an otherworldly visitor reporting on their strange experiences while on a mission in Portland, OR, The Out of Towner, is a comedic sci-fi travel spoof with a distinctive Pacific Northwest flair. 🕵🏻‍♀️☕️
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🎞️⬇️Let’s Talk Film In The Comments⬇️🎞️
My film involves a spaceship made from a (Yes, really!)
If you were gonna DIY a spaceship what would you create it out of?
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⭐️ Story:
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09/03/2024

08/29/2024

‘Once Upon A Time’ Is Nigh
📽️🎞️🪄
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A Georgetown Fairy Tale,
my first narrative film short,
premieres Saturday, September 7th at 7PM PST as part of the Screening .
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Set in one of Seattle’s oldest neighborhoods,
A Georgetown Fairy Tale is an ode to the love of physical media, the power of choosing kindness amid conflict, and the transformative magic of music.
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Shot on Super 8 with ‘s Classic Ektachrome Color Reversal film, A Georgetown Fairy Tale is not only my first short but also the start of my adventure working with analog film for motion pictures.
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Per the rules of Georgetown Super 8 (GS8), the film was shot in sequence. Overlays, credits, & sound were adding in post, however majority of the editing was done in-camera during production.
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One of my favorite projects to date,
it was a joy to work with this small but mighty dedicated & collaborative team. And I’m delighted that the creative fun we had making A Georgetown Fairy Tale reflects in the resulting film.
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🪄 A Georgetown Fairy Tale Cast & Crew🪄
Writer & Director: Amara Dumlao aka
Producer: Michael Werdal aka
Camera Operators: Justin Rollo aka , Amara Dumlao, & Danielle Robbins aka
Editor/Sound/ Post Production: Amara Dumlao
Actors: Danielle Robbins as Media Princess & Justin Rollo as “Evil” Stepbrother
Super 8 Film Processed by

👏Thank You👏
Georgetown Super 8
Georgetown Records
Seattle Office Of Film And Music
Seattle Parks And Recreation
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🎞️⬇️Let’s Talk Film In The Comments⬇️🎞️

What kind of film would you like to shoot in Super 8?
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⭐️ Story:
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🤝
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07/31/2024

Caffeinated Sci-Fi
☕️⚡️🎞️
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Who knew during the kick-off that we’d be developing shot ideas on the Bambridge Island ferry or that a deer would literally walk onto our the edge of our filming location…⛴️
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Maybe it just wanted to join the team?! 🦌
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And while there were plenty of coffee beans on set, amid the creative buzz of our cast & crew’s fast-paced collaboration, I didn’t even consider having a cup of coffee until after we wrapped. ☕️
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And what a joy to see the results last Thursday Cinema Uptown. Congrats to Bean There, Done That Director, , & the whole Moonshadow films team! 💛
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Oh & I had such a blast during Seattle’s 48, that I am seeking to connect with a team for ~ if anyone who runs into this post knows someone w/ a Portland 48 Hour team hit me up.
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✨Shine In The Comments✨
Ever tried film racing (where a team is challenged to make a film in a set period of time) or been part of a unique film project?

Tell the community about it in the comments below.
✨⬇️

📷 details in the pinned comment ⬇️

07/25/2024

Creative Buzz
🐝🎞️✨
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Found paths lead to unexpected opportunities!
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And my 2nd foray into the was just that.
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This filmmaking adventure really began 2 weeks prior at the Burien Film Office Happy Hour (see )where Chris Swenson, from the Seattle Film Office (see ) spoke about the
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The next day, I was on the 1st to to tour this new creative production facility. 👩🏻‍🎨🏢
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While awaiting the start of the tour, & fueled by a summer themed coffee from nearby I began to chat w/ the people around me. ☕️🗣️
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By the time I left the building, I’d already joined the Moonshadow Films team! 🤝
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And tonight, July 25th, 2024 at 9PM our film Bean There, Done That premieres Cinema Uptown!
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It’s pretty rad what happens when creatives come together & I can’t wait for what our local filmmaking community does next!
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🌘 Meet Moonshadow Films 48 Hour Team 🌒
Executive Producer & Director: Rizza B.
Producers: & Dawit A.
Director of Photography/Editor: Dougal B.
Assistant Director/Continuity:
Production Assistant/BCAM/Writer:
Sound/Boom Op: Sarah Majdali R.
Music Composer:
Music Editor: Rob M.
Key Grip/Writer: Shane R.
Actors: & Brandon N.
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✨Shine In The Comments✨
What local to you film events do you 💗?

Share w/ the community in the comments below.
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⭐️ Story:
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07/08/2024

The Super 8 Era
☀️🎞️🎉
Filmmaking like it’s the Summer ‘65…

Via 4 different Super 8 cameras! 🎥
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It was just a week b/w my initial encounter w/ a Super 8 & shooting my 1st film cartridge . ▶️
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After returning home, I quickly joined 2 Super 8 crews as cinematographer, AD, script supervisor, & tackling creative practical effects in the art department.
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There has been blood* 🩸
Fireworks 🎆
A Spaceship 🛸
I’ve seen death dance like Laura Palmer…💃🏻
Directed from the top rung of an orange jungle gym 🛝
And joined an on-camera band w/ an unhinged tambourine player 🎸
( I’m looking at you, 👀😆)
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Between shoots, I wrote a screenplay, created storyboards, & shot lists…
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And today, we wrapped principal photography on my 1st narrative short; a punk rock fairytale shot in Seattle entirely on Super 8.
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Never could have anticipated that this leg of my filmmaking adventures would lead me here…
Like this…
But creative story arcs do like to keep us guessing. 🕵🏻‍♀️
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Guess we’ll all have to stay tuned. 😎
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✨Shine In The Comments✨
What’s an arc in You’re story you never saw coming?

Share w/ the community in the comments below.
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📷 details in the pinned comment ⬇️
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*Note: This particular film🩸recipe featured & while this post is not sponsored by them, I have a banger of a creative idea for working with them in the future. So stay tuned, I assure you stranger things are always happening. 😉🤭😎

07/04/2024

Indie-pendence Day
▶️🎆✨
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It’s the 4th of July & I miss !
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This year’s event:
💜 Had exceptional panels
🧡 Inspired me as a filmmaker on levels
💛 & was abuzz with community connection…
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Historically, a key ingredient for turning those wild creative YT possibilities into standout realities!
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To call this particular VidCon inspiring would be an understatement…
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It was, for me, a perfect reminder of why I got into this space so many moons ago…
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And even more of a reason to be excited about what comes next.
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✨Get Creative In The Comments✨
Where do you find artistic inspiration?

Share w/ the community in the comments below!
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📷 details in the pinned comment ⬇️

06/21/2024

A Summer-y Update
😎✨
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Back in Seattle & working on a short for ! 🎞️
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& while analog mediums are very different from … 🎥

I’ve got some fun summer digital work brewing for YT as well. ▶️
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& On the front, thrilled to share I will be returning to next week in Anaheim. 🎉

Looking forward 2 sharing moments like:
💚 teaching me dance moves 🪩
💜 Taking another VidCon selfie w/ (it’s become tradition) 📷
💖 Meeting & hanging out w/ old & new Creator/YT community friends. 👋

🧡 Oh & a VidCon panel suggestion:
the wonderful is speaking, so be sure to add it to your con plans! 📖
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Overall, this Summer is all about:
⭐️ Getting involved w/ the Seattle, WA, & PNW film scene
⭐️ Script writing & film project planning away
⭐️ & prepping a big US film/YT trip…

So if you know of a cool local film or YouTube community I should connect w/ anywhere in the states please lmk…

As many of you know, I’ve do 💖 meeting gr8 people on & offline!
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Oh & P.S. for those who are curious there are A LOT more /travel stories coming soon, trust!
😉😎
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✨Fill-Up-The-Comments✨
Your Best Summer Emoji combo?
☀️🏖️👙🍉😎

Share w/ the community in the comments below!
✨☀️
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📷 Info in the 1st comment.

05/29/2024

Slow & Steady 🎉🐢
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38.5 Kilometers remained on The Camino & the new cough had made itself known throughout the night. 🤕
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So I’d slept in,
a good idea for my health but it meant the walk into Santiago would have to be swift to get in before dark. 🌃
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The day also had a climb,
an ongoing significant challenge to my lungs throughout The Camino. ⛰️
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A serious case of childhood phenomena means I regularly must stop to let my lungs even out,
even when otherwise I’m good to keep going. 🫁
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This happens a lot & takes time. ⏳
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It’s deeply frustrating… 😩
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And takes self-patience... 🧘‍♀️
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Historically not my strongest skill. 🙄
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So, I turned to my love of stories to create a plan. 📚
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With Frederick the backpack as my shell,
I called upon the tale of the Tortoise & the Hare to inspire my Camino Tortuga (turtle) Action Plan aka:
🐢Slow & Steady🐢
1. Walk until it’s time for a break
2. Choose something interesting or specific to look at.
Examples include: a tiny flower, a sunbeam, waymarker, whatever ~
the idea is to work with what the moment provides, believing there will always be something
(there was!).
3. Enjoy looking at said thing & wait for the lungs to return to start.
4. Drink water.
5. Go forward.
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Slow & Steady I walked through 2 serious colds,
the worst food poisoning I’ve ever had,
& loosing my voice for five days. 🤧
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Being La Tortuga helped me repair a part of my lungs that I’ve had trouble with all my life
& is now working to help me repair another part... 💪
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As I’ve said to many concerned people seeing me stop at odd places along the trail to breathe, “Todos Los Dias Soy Mas Fuerte” (Every Day I Am Stronger).
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And Slowly & Steadily walking through the long hard final day, around 8PM on Monday May 27th, 2024, I completed the Camino. 🎉
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Slow & Steady I won the race, learning in the process I really can do anything I set my mind to.🏆🐢

✨QUESTION: What is a story that’s been instrumental in your life?

Share w/ the community in the comments below. ✨⬇️
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📷 descriptions in the comments ⬇️

05/26/2024

Soon Kilometers Remaining
✨🥾
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In 1 long day, I will be in Santiago.
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This means I will have walked the full Compostela from St. Jean Pied de Port, France to Santiago De Compostela, Spain with a 20 pound backpack named, “Fredrick”.
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(or “Frederico”, as the one Alburgue staff member’s fairly insisted it should be named.)
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I have met a lot of amazing people.
(All of whom have been patient w/ this often sick baby hiker).
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And after the trail, Camino families extend to groups all over the world.
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There’s even talk of Burning Man.
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(I mean it is kind inevitable y’all).
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& talk of hikes in Japan.
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And, of course, amid the beautiful outdoors of in Seattle, WA, & the PNW.
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Cuz when you push yourself to live your dreams, they are better than you could ever expect!
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✨QUESTION: What’s a dream you look forward to tackling?

Share w/ the community in the comments below. ✨⬇️
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📷 descriptions in the comments ⬇️

05/23/2024

Who Is This?! ✨🥾
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Under 150 kilometers to Santiago now.
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And while I firmly remember the struggles & triumphs…
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(Like yesterday,
during a 30 kilometer hike that included 2 “altos” (aka assents) & about 10 kilometers of steep muddy mountain in the cold direct to the face rain.)
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I don’t really know how this has happened.
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Somehow, I’ve become accustomed to this life.
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The oiled feet.
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A proud right hand callous from gripping the cork on my poles during on watery descents.
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Sheer delight over a mid-day celebration beverage or a bowl of reinvigorating veggie soup.
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I guess there’s no denying it;
I’m a hiker now!
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✨QUESTION: ever find yourself doing something you find unexpected?

Share w/ the community in the comments below. ✨⬇️
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📷 descriptions in the comments ⬇️

05/21/2024

The Pilgrims
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I’ve fallen in w/ a bad crowd.
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It just kinda happened.
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They walk all the time for absurd distances.
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Through rain & tears.
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With pain & joy.
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They often choose the hard route.
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Discussing everything~ in between stretches of a common silence.
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They say, “Buen Camino” but it’s meaning varies..
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And as the end approaches,
I suspects I’ll never really leave em.
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✨QUESTION: what’s a group that has changed you?

Share w/ the community in the comments below. ✨⬇️

05/12/2024

The Way Is Your Way.
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No two Camino’s are the same.
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And not just b/c all people are different.
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It’s about how the Camino is done.
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What new paths are made.
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What stops occur.
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The adventures both those things lead to.
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No matter what, the Camino remains the same…
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Entirely different for each pilgrim who travels it. 😉
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✨QUESTION: how has forging your own path changed you?

Share w/ the community in the comments below. ✨⬇️
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📷 descriptions in the comments ⬇️

05/06/2024

The Why.
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There are many reasons people walk the Camino…
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To challenge themselves.
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To mourn.
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To celebrate.
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To get stronger.
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To be part of history.
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To be closer to faith &/or spirituality.
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To prepare for something bigger.
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So why am I out here?
Many of the reasons mentioned above apply,
but I’m really here preparing to tackle the biggest mountain in my life: The self-lead creative one.
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Basically I figure, if I can walk The Camino, I can tackle anything.
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✨QUESTION:
Would you walk the Camino?
If so, what would your motivation be?

Share w/ the community in the comments below. ✨⬇️
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📷 Descriptions also in the comments ⬇️

05/05/2024

Gone With The Wind
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For three days & 1/2 days I have had no voice.
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I suspect the heavy Spanish winds have taken it.
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Not quite sure what they want with it.
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Maybe I will find it soon in Burgos.
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Yet this has not stopped me from connecting w/ people, even when the sole language between us is my rudimentary high school Spanish (often dotted with/ moments of the Japanese I studied more recently, in college).
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Between smiles & dramatic hand gestures, I’m making do… & having fun.
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Even when my… well my everything hurts.
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The Camino is like that,
no matter what happens,
you go forward w/ gratitude.
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✨QUESTION: What keeps you going when things are challenging?

Share w/ the community in the comments below. ✨⬇️

04/28/2024

The Hard Way
✨🥾
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While transformational, things go wrong on the Camino.
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Early on, I met a women who did a steep hike for 2 hours only to realize she’s gone the wrong way.
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And when I dreamt of her a few nights later, I probably should have figured it was foreshadowing.
But I didn’t.
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Instead, I thought of that while soaked atop a windy mountain w/ looking at an electoral tower & a discarded tent... ⚡️⛺️
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We too had to go back down the wrong mountain.
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And today, when my pre-booked lodging required taking the harder of two Camino paths (up a mountain, naturally) I wasn’t even all that surprised.
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Apparently, in my hiking era, I love a good bonus mountain! ⛰️ 🫠
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✨QUESTION: What is something challenging you are proud of conquering?

Share a/ the community in the comments below. ✨⬇️
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📷s explained in the 1st comment!

04/27/2024

Trust
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Sometimes on the Camino, you just have to believe.
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That there will be room at an alburgue.
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That you will find the motivation to scale another high grade.
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That your clothes will dry on the line.
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That people will share what you need.
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That the rain will stop.
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That you can take the next step and then the next.
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✨QUESTION: What’s something you’re ready to take the next step with?

Share a/ the community in the comments below. ✨⬇️
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