Developing New Interests
I need to hurry up and get old so I can retire and have time to do all the cool, fun things I want to be doing. Either that or win the lottery (which I don’t play). Don’t get me wrong, I love my job; but I seem to have all these interests all the sudden that I want to spend my time on and I just don’t have enough time to do them all. I would cut out sleep if I could – it seems like such an incredible waste of time, doesn’t it? – but my body won’t let me. I may have to become an energy-drink-junkie (see previous blog: “Is This Shit Legal” 3/10/06).
I can remember not all that long ago feeling like I wasn’t a very interesting or diverse person because I had no real hobbies or interests. WOW – has that ever changed, and I don’t really know why or when exactly – it must be part of my metamorphosis (see previous blog: “Metamorphosis” 1/22/06). In addition to my full-time job, the Mug Club and my social circle, in the past year I have added to my life the following: 2 monthly book clubs, church, blogging, flute lessons, a gym membership and now my long lost passion for photography – something is going to have to give – it may be my sanity.
The 2 book clubs were fairly do-able during the winter – what’s better then curling up with a blanket, the cat and a good book when the weather is nasty? I was easily getting my 2 club books in and at least one other of my choice each month. But spring is just around the corner and that will start the gardening season and all those other fun-in-the-sun activities. Last fall I joined and became a pretty active memeber of a UU church which has provided me many interesting and thought provoking perspectives (see previous blog: "My Religious Beliefs" 2/20/06) as well as new social outlets. Then I started blogging, and as I am fond of saying in my blogs – if you are reading this, I don’t have to tell you what a time-suckage blogging is. The really sicko part about me blogging is that I am quite sure that the only people that visit my blog are people I know and see fairly regularly, so why can’t I just tell them what’s on my mind?! Then I decided to fulfill my desire to “make music” and so, not even knowing how to read music, I took up the flute (see previous blog: “Breathing, Blowing and Tonguing” 12/19/05). This is not technically a time-suckage, more like blowing off some time (ha ha – get it?). In addition to my weekly lesson I should be practicing dailey. And recently I joined a gym which I am (so far) going to pretty faithfully every morning. Now this one almost doesn’t count, because I do it first thing in the morning when I would otherwise still be sleeping (or trying to wake up), so as far as time management goes, this is almost a freebee.
And yes, now I have decided to rekindle my passion for photography. I took a couple of semesters of it in college and loved it. But once my classes were over I lost my interest pretty quickly. My passion lies more in the darkroom then behind the lens (and if I wasn’t taking a class, I didn’t have access to the school’s darkroom). Sure you need to compose a decent shot, but basically anyone can take a picture and send it off to Kodak to be developed. The real fun/challenge/artistry for me is in the darkroom. And yes, I am old fashioned – it can’t be digital – it’s gotta’ be 35mm and it’s gotta’ be B&W. Don’t get me wrong, there are lots of cool color photos, and what you can do with digital photography these days is pretty amazing – it’s just not my gig. I’m B&W and I’m film.
Over the years I have often mourned my lost passion, but it seemed like such an incredible undertaking to set up my own darkroom that I didn’t really think it was reasonable. A couple of weeks ago I was driving around and I gave it more thought – I really wanted to get my camera out again – it’s been sitting in a closet, pretty much untouched, for almost 20 years (I can’t believe it’s been that long!) So, I decided it was time to dust off my baby and get her back in action. My house has the perfect laundry room for a darkroom and in this world of eBay, I’m sure I can pick up some used equipment. So I thought I would pick a topic – something I can do a photographic study of; this will give me purpose. If nothing else it will get the camera in my car and in my hands and back in use. Of course I will take other photos too, but having a theme will help get me motivated.
At first I thought I would do silos – having grown up on a farm, silos have a place in my heart and silos are becoming a dying icon of the American landscape; I thought there might be purpose in documenting them before they are all gone. But as I thought about it, in terms of an artistic subject, I don’t really find silos very interesting. There are some cool silos but from a linear perspective they don’t have much diversity of form. So, I continued to think about it as I drove and it hit me – Electric Line Towers –those massive steel (sometimes wood) structures that hold up the high-tension wires. They are all over the place and have many different shapes, styles and forms. I very much like the geometric shapes of the towers and their supported lines. And they are found in a wide variety of settings and back drops – sometimes blending into an industrial setting and sometimes contrasting a rural, otherwise pristine setting. Okay – I’ll stop now, sorry – I realize this is my passion, not yours.
So, anyway, if you can’t find me curled up on the couch with a book, or attending some UU function, or sitting here blogging, or practicing my flute, or at the gym, check the darkroom.
I can remember not all that long ago feeling like I wasn’t a very interesting or diverse person because I had no real hobbies or interests. WOW – has that ever changed, and I don’t really know why or when exactly – it must be part of my metamorphosis (see previous blog: “Metamorphosis” 1/22/06). In addition to my full-time job, the Mug Club and my social circle, in the past year I have added to my life the following: 2 monthly book clubs, church, blogging, flute lessons, a gym membership and now my long lost passion for photography – something is going to have to give – it may be my sanity.
The 2 book clubs were fairly do-able during the winter – what’s better then curling up with a blanket, the cat and a good book when the weather is nasty? I was easily getting my 2 club books in and at least one other of my choice each month. But spring is just around the corner and that will start the gardening season and all those other fun-in-the-sun activities. Last fall I joined and became a pretty active memeber of a UU church which has provided me many interesting and thought provoking perspectives (see previous blog: "My Religious Beliefs" 2/20/06) as well as new social outlets. Then I started blogging, and as I am fond of saying in my blogs – if you are reading this, I don’t have to tell you what a time-suckage blogging is. The really sicko part about me blogging is that I am quite sure that the only people that visit my blog are people I know and see fairly regularly, so why can’t I just tell them what’s on my mind?! Then I decided to fulfill my desire to “make music” and so, not even knowing how to read music, I took up the flute (see previous blog: “Breathing, Blowing and Tonguing” 12/19/05). This is not technically a time-suckage, more like blowing off some time (ha ha – get it?). In addition to my weekly lesson I should be practicing dailey. And recently I joined a gym which I am (so far) going to pretty faithfully every morning. Now this one almost doesn’t count, because I do it first thing in the morning when I would otherwise still be sleeping (or trying to wake up), so as far as time management goes, this is almost a freebee.
And yes, now I have decided to rekindle my passion for photography. I took a couple of semesters of it in college and loved it. But once my classes were over I lost my interest pretty quickly. My passion lies more in the darkroom then behind the lens (and if I wasn’t taking a class, I didn’t have access to the school’s darkroom). Sure you need to compose a decent shot, but basically anyone can take a picture and send it off to Kodak to be developed. The real fun/challenge/artistry for me is in the darkroom. And yes, I am old fashioned – it can’t be digital – it’s gotta’ be 35mm and it’s gotta’ be B&W. Don’t get me wrong, there are lots of cool color photos, and what you can do with digital photography these days is pretty amazing – it’s just not my gig. I’m B&W and I’m film.
Over the years I have often mourned my lost passion, but it seemed like such an incredible undertaking to set up my own darkroom that I didn’t really think it was reasonable. A couple of weeks ago I was driving around and I gave it more thought – I really wanted to get my camera out again – it’s been sitting in a closet, pretty much untouched, for almost 20 years (I can’t believe it’s been that long!) So, I decided it was time to dust off my baby and get her back in action. My house has the perfect laundry room for a darkroom and in this world of eBay, I’m sure I can pick up some used equipment. So I thought I would pick a topic – something I can do a photographic study of; this will give me purpose. If nothing else it will get the camera in my car and in my hands and back in use. Of course I will take other photos too, but having a theme will help get me motivated.
At first I thought I would do silos – having grown up on a farm, silos have a place in my heart and silos are becoming a dying icon of the American landscape; I thought there might be purpose in documenting them before they are all gone. But as I thought about it, in terms of an artistic subject, I don’t really find silos very interesting. There are some cool silos but from a linear perspective they don’t have much diversity of form. So, I continued to think about it as I drove and it hit me – Electric Line Towers –those massive steel (sometimes wood) structures that hold up the high-tension wires. They are all over the place and have many different shapes, styles and forms. I very much like the geometric shapes of the towers and their supported lines. And they are found in a wide variety of settings and back drops – sometimes blending into an industrial setting and sometimes contrasting a rural, otherwise pristine setting. Okay – I’ll stop now, sorry – I realize this is my passion, not yours.
So, anyway, if you can’t find me curled up on the couch with a book, or attending some UU function, or sitting here blogging, or practicing my flute, or at the gym, check the darkroom.
posted by 10-8-ious | 12:41 AM
2 Comments:
I've always felt that I could happily stop working and still have enough interests to keep me way busy. Although I've devoted most of my energy to my house these past few months, I can also tell you that now I KNOW I could keep myself entertained without a job. Unfortunately there's that whole money problem...sigh.
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