I think I need a hearing aid

You know it's time to get a hearing aid, when someone gives you a compliment & it's not what you think you heard, not even close.

Jon & I were sitting on the porch the other night enjoying the cool evening when he responded to me sharing my lack in confidence with my photography in general. Telling me that I "continue to grow with my photography each day, I have a unique eye, that people love my pictures, I'm not the only photographer that goes through a time with lack of confidence & that I'm like a rock that keeps getting shinier & shinier everyday". I thought about it for a second then thought how sweet, I'm like an agate (FYI, it's a clear ocean rock you can see through. See how I focus on the only thing that wasn't positive in what he said, it was an object that caught my attention. Why do I do that?). Most importantly, how did he know that's exactly how I felt. An agate is what I visualized when I heard him say rock, cause I'm not just any ole' rock, ya know, I'm shiny :). The reason he used a rock wasn't anything I was going to dismiss cause hey, men are from Mars. They love to blow things up & act like a silver back gorilla at times, so who am I to argue with his compliment. Men make about as much sense to women, as women do to men, Right?

However, that's not what he said, he said diamond, What?!! A diamond?! Not sure why I heard rock, doesn't even sound close, but that's a big clue I need a hearing aid. He laughed at me & said he would never "compare me to a rock",...like it was a bad thing! Agates are hard to find in the sand, dang it. I'm not sure if a diamond sounded as good, lol. No mater what he said, I loved the compliment, as always. It was the thought that counts & another one of those little things he says that makes me love him so much. So now I need a hearing aid & reading glasses since turning 40, what's next?....Wait, maybe I shouldn't ask, I should just be happy being a shiny rock,...I, I, I mean a diamond.

Honestly he wouldn't have been far off though, I feel like a rock in the middle of the ocean sometimes. So many "photographers" out there with a multitude of styles & personalities trying to get out there & make careers of it. I know I will never know everything about photography, it's a huge industry. For me, it's about learning & growing everyday, not about being the latest & greatest, the Best! of the Best! If you knew me, you would know I don't like that kind of attention, always being in the lime light, that's not for me & that's ok, I know I'm not the only one. If I can always remember that & continue to do my best, to learn, & grow in confidence, that's all I can ask for. I also get a huge pleasure out of helping others find their photography passion, encouraging them to surround themselves with positive people, to always learn more, leading them to resources to help them grow, to keep doing what makes them happy, & not give up. Of course I don't take my own advice about the confidence part & I never pretend to know it all. I'd be the first one to tell you that & I'm probably not the one to ask about post processing how to's either, I'm still learning but I never give up. I'm always willing to help in anyway I can, even if it's directing other self-taught photographers to websites they can learn from. Besides, no photographer should claim to know everything, cause I guarantee you, they didn't start off doing it all the right way either. The point here is not repeating your mistakes but growing from them. I am personally drawn to those that I consider to be the "greats" & the "getting betters" that share how they improved their craft, giving inspiration & encouragement to others, how wonderful it is to find a friend instead of a competitor. I still have to find my confidence mojo around other photographers (I'm not afraid to say I'm shy, some people might mistaken for rudeness), so yesterday I signed up with a local photo club. It'll be good to get out there with people that love photography as much as I do but I feel so old starting out this late in life. It's like going to a new high school to me, wearing big frumpy clothes to hide & disappear in the shadows, in my own avoid-a-group-at-all-costs kinda way but I have my own demons to fight & need to just get out there & do it, so I did. Another thing I've just started today is a 365 project. The weekly one didn't work for me, I got a little slacked, then dropped it all together. I'm the kinda person that needs inspiration to pick up the camera everyday & that's ok, whatever works. It's a late start in the year but it's better than never starting it at all.

P.S. The attempt for the Anderson fireworks didn't work July 3rd. The great view I'm always bragging about, looked more like a child holding a sparkler 10' away, not even worth the attempt in my eyes. It probably wouldn't even show up on the screen, especially after focusing around the gauntlet of trees, lol, but sadly no kidding. Whadaya gonna do, sometimes you just have to laugh. Next year I want to get closer for a way better chance, besides, they were at 10pm, OMG I was so tired. By the time they started, I was ready for bed. We watched for only 10 mins, but at least I know photographing from here is not in the works at all & Jon told me, he didn't see the Redding fireworks at all from the property last year. Well, there went that idea, should have got that out of him sooner. Oh well, I have more time to plan for next years opportunities :)