HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It is astounding that my first story in 2016 starts on the first day of the year, Friday, January 1st. The first day of the year signifies both the ending of the old and the beginning of the new. For some, it is a tradition to write down their goals for the following year, at the end of the previous year. Often those goals are related to having more money, to losing weight, quitting smoking, and the like. If you are one of those people, how did you do in 2015? Personally, I have practiced those traditions for many years, with mixed results. In the middle of 2015, after participating in a motivational seminar, I decided to write down my goals, daily. Some goals, like losing weight, came to fruition. When I started, I weighed 189 lb and I barely could button up my 38” pants. By the end of December, I reached 171 lb and I bought new 36” pants. I started the process with three days of an apple cleanse (Which I wrote about, previously), and I finished with a weeklong more complex cleanse. (I will write about this process in a separate story). I also started to exercise every day, alternating walking an hour, and a long stretch the next day, and once a week, I work out with my trainer. I also go to sleep and wake up earlier, to have time for my new routine. All of those efforts resulted in a complete clean bill of health from my doctor.

As far as my business is concerned, in spite of all the ups and downs, it is holding on. For the next year, my goal is to help 30 people to secure reverse mortgages

Since all my business comes from referrals, I am counting on you to spread the word.

But I also had another goal for 2015 – to create a photography book.  My first experience in this endeavor was in 2013, creating “Soy Cubano”, my photography book about Cubans.  This time I wanted to share my encounters with San Franciscans.  The process took me almost a year, and I expect by January 13^th, my 69^th birthday, that my first photography book, “42 Encounters in San Francisco” will be available for your pleasure.  During the creative process of working on the book, my goal expanded, and I decided to produce two “42 Encounters” books a year.  Thus by January 13^th, 2037, when I turn ninety, there will be forty-two “42 Encounters” books.  I encourage you to stick around, buy books and build your own collection of “42 Encounters”.  To find out why there are 42 encounters in each book, you need to start with the first one.  While working on the book, new ideas evolved.  I decided that all money came from the sale of books will go into a non-profit foundation.  The purpose of which is to bring to young people and those who are young at heart, the awareness of how to perceive the beauty of the world through the lens of the camera or smartphone.  In order to maintain creative control, as well as control the timing of the publishing, I also decided to create “Encounters Publishing”, which will produce and market books and educational programs.  I invite you to become part of my dream by buying books and sharing them with your family and friends.  I guarantee that you will enjoy each of them, as will your friends.

P.S. The process of image selection was vigorous. While working on the book, I continued photographing.  Thus, some new images replaced some old ones.  The four images you see in this e-mail are among many of which did not make into the first book.  My goal for 2016 is to create two books.  After the first one is released, the next one “42 Encounters in San Francisco with Couples” will follow in a few months, and “42 Encounters in San Francisco Without Color” will come out by the end of the year.

Enjoy and share.

.

Do Not Keep Me As A Secret!
Smile And Please SHARE It With A Friend!

Cheers,