ganb8e, it's amazing how sometimes we have to fly half way across the world and be told in another language that we're projecting an angry face. I've visited the Maasai, too. Granted I was about 18 months old but the women were fascinated by my red hair. My father taught at an all boys Maasai school during the Peace Corps and we went back to visit. The photos are incredible.
Aaaanyway, Lisa, you do event photography? Me too. Well sort of here and there. I prefer portraits but events pay well.
And since none of that was really about reactive communication or our collect RBFs, I'll just say this:
I bought One More Try by Gary Chapman and, while it's heavy on God (it's Chapman so it only makes sense) it's insightful BUT I also got John Gottman's The Science of Trust: Emotional Attunement for Couples and it is fascinating. It appeals to my desire for empiracle evidence and data analysis to prove theories and make discoveries so WOW, it's awesome in that area. The BIG one though, the BIIIIIG book that is helping with my reactive communication problems is The Solo Partner. It's a true winner from start to finish. Get it. You'll thank me (and whomever told me to get it, too).
