I thought about skipping this post because it’s not about weddings. Usually, the wedding season doesn’t start winding up until March. So I could post about what I’ve been up to or just leave it fallow for a while. I decided to post because I was inspired today by my first assignment and learned a few things from my second.
My first assignment this morning was a rally for Extreme Makeover. They selected a family from the High Desert to feature on their show. If you’re not familiar with the show, Extreme Makeover selects a needy family, demos their house and builds a completely new home for them in 106hours! It’s a modern day ‘barn raising’. They ask the community to step up and donate their time and skills to help build the new home. After listening to the executive producer, Conrad Rickets talk about how people, struggling themselves in this economy, were willing to donate whatever skills they had to offer, It really put things in perspective. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our own drama’s that we forget how it feels to help another without any strings attached. It’s a great feeling. I wish that I had more to offer than just photography! It was truly inspiring. If I get to follow this story for the Sun, I’ll keep you posted.
Now for my second assignment. Here’s a secret, I usually have my husband edit my images that I turn into the paper. Do you know how hard it is to edit 300+ images down to just 3? It’s even more excruciating for me because I am afflicted with an extreme case of indecisiveness. It doesn’t matter if it’s a big decision, small decision or even a decision that nobody gives a crap about. I just can’t be rushed about these things. It’s taken 3 years for me to decide on an album company to offer to my wedding clients for heavens sake. That’s just sad. It gets even worse when I have to make a decision on a photograph on a deadline AND write a caption to boot. Can you feel my pain? Unfortunately for me, Eric had to go down the hill today and left me to do it all by myself. Bad husband! I went ahead and put on my Big Girl Panties and made some decisive decisions. I did my best but I usually make the same mistake whenever I’m left to my own devises. I don’t pick images that I love, I pick images that I think “they” will want. I don’t know how many times it’s going to take for me to learn this lesson. Eric comes home, takes a look at my shoot and says, “why didn’t you turn this image in, it’s clearly the best one!” I really wanted to throw something at him at that moment. Thus lesson number 5751 was completed.
This image is of Firefighter Matt Dowland trying to get the last of the popcorn kernels from his shoe. They were taking an older adult sensitivity training class at the Apple Valley Fire Station. The popcorn kernels was supposed to simulate what it’s like for an older adult for whom it’s painful to walk.
We have a new member of the Reed household! Her name is Rose. A few things about Rose, she’s shy, a little nervous and can fly really, really well. Who knew chickens could fly so far! As she flew from our chicken coop into our very tall pine tree, it all came back to me. At home, growing up on a farm, the chickens were free to roam and scratch and at night would roost in trees! As I stood at the bottom of the pine tree, looking spiffy in my Christmas hoho pjs and slippers (7 A.M.), I couldn’t quite figure out how we were going to get her down. My husband had the brilliant idea of grabbing the latter and the pool skimmer thingy. Mind you, we don’t have a pool or even a kiddie pool any longer. Anyway, Rose would have anything to do with the pool skimmer and quickly flew from the tree to the fence in the backyard and then on to the neighbor’s roof. Yes, I said ‘our neighbors roof’. After knocking on their door (in hoho pjs) and trying to explain that our chicken was on their roof, they quickly agreed to let Eric climb on the roof to get the chicken. Of course, once Eric got to the roof, Rose flew across the street and into a garage door. Maybe we should of named her Grace. After waking up yet another neighbor, we were finally able to catch her as she casually walked into their house! We apologized profusely and promised lots of eggs. We now have a fully enclosed chicken coop!
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