June | 2016 | Chasing Life and Finding Dreams

I find that almost anything can be photographed. It just takes a little imagination and a variety of perspectives.

Take this ring holder. It may be bedazzaled with some fake bling and fairly cute. However, to get interesting photos of it, I had to move around.

I once had a photography mentor who said, “Think about what most people would do to take a picture of something. Then, do the opposite.”

Trying to live up to that all the time is hard though. I am sure I am not completely original all the time. But that is ok too. My goal is not to be the most quirky, unique photographer in the world. Sure, I would love to photograph exotic places and stunningly gorgeous people. However, for now, I just want to develop my skills each day so that I can make the ordinary interesting, the bland compelling and the pretty extraordinary.

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Then one day, if I happen to run into a batch of super human people who defy the normal bounds of beauty in some stunningly exotic paradise…I will be ready. But until then, I can find enough beauty right here in my life:)

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For Sally D’s Mobile Photography Challenge ~ Black and White

Time for a little Share Your World this week.

Each week, Cee provides the blogging world with some questions. Our task, should we choose to accept it, is to answer them. Whether or not that are the truth or fiction is really up to us though. And let’s just admit it, sometimes what we think is true is just our happy perception or wish to cover up the reality we may not want to have to look at.

So here we go:

What is the most fun thing you did in school?

FUNNIEST: In highschool, I was a cheerleader. At football games, we typically had these large plastic hoops that we covered in paper that had some painted scene on it. It was a complete event. We cheerleaders would get together during the week and assemble and paint these six- or seven-foot in “hoop covers.” Of course these were social events where we would chit chat about cute boys, demanding teachers and stupid homework. Oh, and of course our parents who could NOT possibly understand us.

Anyway, at the beginning of the game and at half time, we would hold up the hoop for the football players to burst through. At one particular game though, they decided to run passed the hoop, which was frankly kind of rude. So we all just stood there for a second looking dumb, but pretending to cheer. After nearly all the players congregated near the hoop they had just walked passed, a few players decided to crash through it. The problem here was that the cheerleaders had started to walk off the field. Me, being next to the hoop on the inside edge of the field, wound up being perfectly positioned right in front of the hoop. Next thing I know, I hear my name being screamed as I saw feet and helmets bursting through the festively painted paper…towards me.

Fortunately, I was only trampled by a couple of players. And since I didn’t really have time to react and tense up, I left unscathed. Well, I had some cleat marks on the stomach area of my uniform. Decades later though…no shit, there I was at a hotel mindlessly watching America’s Funniest Videos when I saw the scene replayed for the Nation. Wait. Does that mean I should get a royalty check from that episode or something?!

FUN: In college, I was a radio disc jockey and totally loved it. Being a freshman, I got the crappy hours of course. But, I was a freshman on the radio so who really cared back then! Once a week, from 2-6 in the morning, I spun records, classic rock. I am sure I was horrible as I mispronounced names of well-know rockers, told lame jokes, and rambled on with useless banter. However, I had a blast! Oh, and my “potty-break” song was almost alway Hotel California because it gave me time to run to the bathroom and get back before the song was over. (There was no programing of songs back then. Just push play on the disc and cue the cart for a PSA. And there certainly wasn’t anyone else in the studio at that hour.)

As an extra bonus, I was also a “news chick” one morning of the week for both the classic rock and alternative rock stations during the “rush hour.” I would troll through the AP News Wire and put together bits of news and banter with the morning DJs. These DJS were the senior though as they got the prime morning hours and had way cooler radio personalities than us freshman.

Two fun facts about that time:

One morning, I was cruising back to my room on my bicycle when I hit a patch of ice. Let’s just say I know how it feels to fly and that I was happy I had layers of clothes on and thick gloves. Oh, I was also happy that it was not even 7 am yet so the normally busy college campus was pretty empty of witnesses.
After Spring Break, I was bantering with the cool senior DJs while I was acting as the “news chick.” During that banter I casually slipped out the fact that I got married over Spring Break. It’s all on tape and is quite funny. I just need to find a cassette player and transfer it to disc so you all could hear it one day.

What is your favorite type of dog? (can be anything from a specific breed, a stuffed animal or character in a movie)

My favorite dog of all times is Copper from The Fox and the Hound. Since I was a child, I adored this movie and its message about being able to be friends with someone who you “shouldn’t be.” The voices of the characters will always be in my memory, “friends forever.”

You are invited to a party that will be attended by many fascinating people you never met. Would you attend this party if you were to go by yourself?

Tough call. I am not normally a socialite at a party unless I am working as the photographer. (Not sure why the camera provides me with the courage to walk up to strangers when I myself cannot do it. Nonetheless, it does.) BUT….fascinating people who I would love to me and the opportunity to actually go is tempting. I think if I did not go, I would regret it. And I have done so many other things by myself….so why not. I just might bring the camera to give me courage though.

Complete this sentence: Never In My Life Have I….

Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

This week was wonderfully simple. I went to work. I worked out. I went to a movie with my boyfriend one night and dinner another. (We were celebrating one year of dating! Who who!) I even managed to squeeze in an oil change for the car. It may sound boring, but it was perfect. It was like life, real life that was filled with contentment.

The bonus of the week was seeing the first few vegetables come out of the garden. And holy smokes batman, that Miracle Grow and full-time garden manager, aka dad, are paying off. Look at the size of these zucchini and squash!

As for what I am looking forward to…I would have to say that would be my girl trip. I am going to meet up with three gals who I was deployed to Iraq with back in 2005-2006. One of them just had a baby so we are all getting together to meet the newest, and most adorable girl, to the group. Margaritas, baby coos, and chats with Army buddy friends…what more could a girl want in her week? A handsome and supportive guy who will pick her up from the airport shuttle? Consider that checked too.