New Year

I got a late start on the new year columns. It's the 10th and enough into the year to say, "Ok, I'm a little late getting started." But many of my notes and thoughts are now on my MySpace Website now, so I can be excused a little for nothing here so late in 2007. I'm still sorting out what goes there and what goes here, and sometimes the MySpace site is easier to add some spontaneous thoughts from the news or just looking out at the world. It's a good excuse anyway.

So, I hope the new year is going well. So what have Ilearned so far? Hmmmm..., let me think now.

In photography, several things. Digital photography is fun and cheap, once you get past the initial investment in the camera system. You can shoot all you want, download, review, delete the junk and save the good ones to work on later. Large format photography is an endeavor, it takes time, patience, and perserverence to learn and do. It requires your whole brain. Film photography is still enjoyable and always worth the time.

In life, making major changes in your life isn't easy. I'll have more to say about this as the year goes along in my real-life adventure blog, especially as some milestones come and some major decisions and changes are made. For now, I'll only say, as Mae West said, "Hang on. It will be a bumpy ride."

In careers, it's the long road and goals that matter. To become a better serious photographer takes a lot of work, and it will come as I progress, mistakes, failures and all. It's how I learn. I'm still working on the one fundamental idea I lost a number of years ago, the pure love of my work and doing photography. There is still lots to sort out and work on as the year goes on, the Mt. Rainier photo guide, the photo galleries, the new Website design, and new writings.

In thought, it's the realization my Dysthymia isn't going away, and seems to hang around in the recesses of my heart and mind. Some days, lying in bed is a comfortable feeling until I realize it doesn't change my world. Sometimes it's enough to stand in my own space and know I'm alive.

Such is life. I'll keep you posted here and elsewhere.