Misadventures in Making Myself a Better Person

I've recently been making decisions to make myself a "better" person.  One of these things is to be more creative.  So, I enrolled in a photography class.

But it's me, so there was no way it could have gone smoothly.

I'm not taking the photography class anymore.  Yes, just a few posts ago, I wrote about how excited I was and today, I'm telling you I withdrew from the class.

The difference is that I went to the instructor's own website.  Don't ask why I didn't think to do this before.  I guess I just assumed the instructor would be talented.  I still strive today to be like my photography teachers and professors that I had while I was in the past.

I don't know if it's appropriate to share the photographer's website, especially since I'm about to say some not so great things about his work. So, I'll leave you with this image: Think about the shots you took when you were a kid. Heads were chopped off, fingers were in the way, etc. The "art" in those shots are comparable to the art that's displayed on this man's website.

So, I showed my friend that was taking the class with me the site. She too was shocked. We decided that there was no way we were going to be able to take this man's class seriously. We called to withdraw from the class.

My friend was on the phone for about 3-4 minutes. Withdrawn.

I called, requested to withdraw and the following 15-minute conversation ensued:

Note: ::Inner monologue::

School Rep: Why are you withdrawing?  
::Great. How can I put this delicately? Ummm, you're instructor's a joke::
Me: Well, I did some research on the instructor and found his personal website. I just don't think his work is in line with what I would like to do.
School Rep: What was the website?
Me: blahblahblah.com
School Rep: Can you hold for a minute?
Me: Sure.
Approximately 30 seconds of holding
School Rep: Do you mind speaking with the instructor's boss?
Me: Sure ::Great. This is escalating. This could only happen to me::

Head of Dept: Hello.
::Yes, this is how he started. I thought, is he going to say something? Does he know why I'm on the phone with him?::
Me: Hi, this is blah blah. I was speaking to the representative to withdraw from the photography class.
Head of Dept: Would you mind explaining to me why you're withdrawing?
Me: Well, I came across the instructors website and just don't think that his work is in line with what I would like to do with my photography.
Head of Dept: What was the website?
Me: blahblahblah.com
Head of Dept: mumble mumble mumble ::I could tell he wasn't on the right site, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt.::
Me: So, you see how most of his work is just point-and-shoot, right? This just isn't the type of class I was looking for.
Head of Dept: What kind of class were you looking for?
Me: I was expecting a class that was more, ummm, artsy. ::How can I delicately put that this photographer's work is not as good as mine? I'm hoping to learn in my class not teach the instructor::
Head of Dept: Oh, well. So-and-so is a renowned Houston photographer.
Me: Well, I assume he's putting his best work on the website and this just isn't something I was looking for. I have a camera worth a $1000 and want to learn the proper way to shoot with it. ::He has his camera set to all auto-settings and he's just framing the shot in the center and clicking a button! He would produce the same work with one of those disposable cameras::
Head of Dept: Oh, okay. Well, thanks for letting me know.


10 minutes later my phone rings.
Head of Dept: Hi, I just wanted to let you know that the photographer's website is blahblahblah.com.
Me: Yes, I know. That's the site I was on. ::I KNEW IT! I could tell he was on the wrong site. I can't believe he's calling me back thinking that this work is better? Do not even want to see what site he was on before::
Head of Dept: Oh, okay. Well sorry for bothering you.

Rather than just leaving it there, I decided I was going to be "helpful". To do this, I emailed him a list of sites of photographers I like and those that I have hired.  I assumed he would see the VAST difference in technique and just drop it.  I explained that I aspired to be like photographers I would hire.

He wrote back and said that the photographer takes his students out of the classroom and shoots with them.  He also thought a conversation with the instructor would help.  Whaaaat? How do either of those things make a difference? The photographers I sent have beautiful skills and technique. This guy's taking shots I took when I was 7.

After all these attempts, he wasn't getting it.  So in my final email, I had to come out and say it. I just didn't like his work.  I couldn't take a class where I didn't respect the instructor's work PERIOD

So now my husband thinks I'm a quitter--did I mention he doesn't have an artful eye? Even showing him the photographer's website all he could say was "Does he only shoot women?" Ahh, my husband. So insightful.

I'm keeping my eyes open for another class but also picked up a very thorough instruction book. I might just start assigning myself some projects and see how they go.

So in typical Chubby Transplant fashion, MISSION: TEMPORARILY ON HOLD DUE TO RIDICULOUSNESS AROUND ME

Still No Clue What I Want to be When I Grow Up

"It is never too late to be what you might have been."
 George Eliot

At 28, I might be going through some sort of life crisis.  I pretty much have a new idea of what I want to be when I grow up once a week.  There are a core few that I always return to, but let's be honest. I don't know too many kids that say "When I grow up, I want to be a recruiter!"

The only thing I've ever wanted to be was a mother. Well, that and an Academy Award winning actress. So career dreams were pushed aside.  I always knew that my work was never going to be as important to me as my family.  I guess it was hard to motivate myself to focus on a career knowing that if I ever needed to, I would drop it in a second.

So, one of the things that I always go back to is a photographer.  It varies what kind of a photographer--usually either a wedding photographer or a photojournalist or of course, a celebrity photographer (like Annie Leibovitz not like a paparazza).

I've had a passion for photography for a long time.  I took classes with a wonderful teacher in high school.  I learned a lot and had a lot of fun.  As soon as I started taking photography classes, I began to see everything in pictures.  I see the shot in every scenario, but unfortunately, I don't have my camera with me all the time and miss a lot of the good ones.

I brought my camera with me this weekend and took some pictures while on the St. Arnold's Galveston Pub Crawl.  The lighting in this bar was so cool and I knew that someone without a background in photography wouldn't appreciate it.  The pictures below were taken naturally, no filters or manipulation after the fact.

File photos. What do you think? Any raw talent there?

I've always been creative--please do not mistake creative for talented. After starting college with plans to study Math, I told my mother that I wanted to study photography. Let's just say during our screaming match, I wasn't too far from being left on the side of the NJ Turnpike.  I understand she was only doing what she thought was best for me. That's a tale for another day...

Today, I signed up for a photography class.  It's another intro. Last I took a photography class was 7 years ago. I can use the refresher.  Once I signed up today, I became really excited.  I'd really like to hone my skills and hopefully even learn to take good pictures of humans (currently my specialties are landscapes and pet photography).
 
So, maybe I can be a photographer when I grow up...

I also have a wedding planner venture going on--even have a client.

Oh, and I came up with an idea for a really great website. I just need to come up with a business plan.

And not sure if you heard, but I'm also giving writing a try.  Once I'm discovered, I have THE BEST name for my memoir. I'm keeping that one just for me though.

So this is my somewhere between quarter-life and mid-life crisis.  I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do for the rest of my life... or at least until babies come along.

TANGENT/SHAMELESS PLUG: I got to thinking how this class could possibly be another Fresh Start... Again. And since I brought it up, for those of you wondering, I did lose some weight in my first week of doing it my way. It was less than a pound and I'm really proud of myself! I'm just going to keep on keeping on. 

Finally just for fun:
I wanna have boobies... Yeah, I went there. And, by the way, I'm not as big of a PCD fan as my blog makes seem to be!