This week we’ve been in the process of creating and organizing my new office. Jamie, being the organized half of our marriage, told me that if didn’t help go through things, she would have to tackle my old work area and “organize it for me”, which meant that stuff I might need would be trashed. So that was what prompted me to work harder on my new office.

First we had to empty the room and paint it. I had to replace the overhead light and move the cable connection from one room to another. The cable move involved me crawling around in the attic; not something I enjoy, but at least I know how to do it myself. Once all that was done, I could move my stuff in, but there was one catch: whatever I moved in to the office Jamie had to approve. I can be some what of a packrat at times. So the day went on with me picking up something to put in to the room and Jamie asking, “Does that really need to go in there?” I’m thankful for her organization skills and her patience with me as I try to keep everything move out of my pack rat ways.

We also made a trip to IKEA to pick up some nice boxes (see photo below) to organize supplies. We also came home with a system to reorganize our closet, so I feel a lot of work coming my way. I look at all this cleaning out and organizing as a way to start 2012 off right.

The photo below is what I like to call the photography/music corner of my office. In the old work area, the top of that white bookshelf was cluttered with battery chargers and cameras, but now it’s much better. There I said it, and the first step is admitting I’m a pack rat before I can change.

Thank you Jamie for helping me see that I need a little organization in my life.

Christmas holidays are fun; we get to celebrate the birth of our savior and hang out with family and friends that we don’t get to see very often. It seems like every time families get together there is someone new in the family. Someone has a new baby, a recently married cousin brings their spouse to the family get together; or if there is a newly engaged member of the family, they bring their soon to be spouse, and there is always that one uncle that will try to intimidate them just a little.

Decorations are another part the the holidays. My grandmother, before her health problems, decorated her house inside and out every year. I’ll never will forget the year that my cousin and I helped put up the large sign beside the house that read “Jesus is the reason for the season.” The sign had holes drilled in the letters so lights could be placed through them and it could be read ever on the darkest night. The problem was that about half of the lights didn’t light, so we spent most of the time trying to find that one small bulb that was causing the problem.

I drive through the small town of Woodstock, Georgia very often and this time of year reminds me of a couple things that really bring a smile to my face. The City of Woodstock decorates the park and the gazebo where Jamie and I were married, with lights (see photograph below). The lights remind me of my family and that time at my grandmother’s house looking for that single pesky blub, and I get to remember the day that I married my best friend and we started a new journey together.

Thankful for the memories that the holidays bring.

I realized not long ago that I really enjoy teaching others about photography. Now, I’ll be the first to tell you that I don’t know everything there is to know about photography. But I like it that way; it gives me the chance to learn too. And if someone asked me a question that I can’t answer, you can bet that I’m going to find the answer. I have small beginner photography workshop about every other month; I keep them size down so that everyone can ask questions in a relaxed atmosphere.
I also like teaching kids, mostly teenagers; they have such a unique view of the world around us. I teach for the Camera for Kids Foundation at group homes for children in the foster care system, and I help with a photography club at a private school once a month.
I learn by doing, so that’s the way I like to teach. I try to have the students using their camera in my class more in one of my classes as opposed them setting there listen to me flap my gums. And there is always plenty of time for questions and answer during and after the classes. I’m also open for questions through an email after the class. Because I know that there will be more question as they start make more photos. I’m also open  for any question that my blog readers have. Just leave a comment with your question and I’ll be sure to answer it.
Below are some of the kids in the photography club having their own model shoot.

I’m Thankful that I have the opportunity to share my knowledge with others.

We would like to have more family traditions, but as the kids get older it’s harder and harder to get everyone together. Our son, Brandon, is out on his own working and going to college and even though he’s at a local college, we still don’t get to see him very often. Lindsey, our oldest daughter, is involved in school activities and drama which adds another thing to work around. Also in our scheduling challenge is that our youngest, Kathryn, goes to her dad’s house some weekends. It is almost impossible to have something that we do the same time every year to make it a tradition.

I would like for one of our family traditions to be that we get together and make a photograph to used on our Christmas cards. Below is this year’s photograph. We decided to use props that would show a little look into our personalities.

Jamie is enjoying a cup of tea; if you know her then you know that she is some what of a tea snob connoisseur.
I have the camera that we inherited from Jamie’s grandfather. He bought it while in Japan during WWII.
Kathryn loves to read so naturally she is enjoying a book while sitting on the back of the couch.
Lindsey is attached to her cell phone and like most of the teens around here I think we may have to surgically remove the phone from her thumbs one day.
Brandon is always drumming on something so he’s holding drumsticks; it’s good that he is a music major in college.
Diane is our future daughter-in-law, and because she is planning the wedding, she has a stack of wedding magazines.
And then there is Lacy the Wonder Dog hanging out with the family with her bone not far away.

I’m thankful for my family and that we can get together and make a photograph that I will never forget.

Our family has been involved with a local theater group for many years now. In fact the only two members of our family that has not performed with the STARS Community Group are Brandon, and Lacy the wonder dog, but you never know what the future may bring.

Let see if I can remember some of the performances that we have been part of; Jamie and I were Ken & Barbie one year, Kathryn was in a murder mystery play about a cruse ship, then we joined her in Anne of Green Gables, she was also in the Wizard of Oz . (It’s great that I have a wife that loves to blog, I can find all the plays we have been in by searching her blog. Hey, that might be another blog post for me one day)

Jamie was Truvy in Steel Magnolias, Lindsey played Aunt Fern and I made an appearance as Spud.

This week is no different. Lindsey and I both have parts in the Snow White and the Two Princes performance tomorrow and Saturday.

I also started providing the head shots and poster for each of the plays. Above is the poster for this weekends performance. I’m thankful to be part of the group and be able to provide the photograph for them.

Our life can feel very busy at times. There are many distractions around every corner. Text and email don’t have a closing time, and with cell phones having the ability to receive both, the world expects us to be accessible at anytime of day. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying the technology is bad.  I’m a geeky kind-a guy and love gadgets, and if someone tries to steal my iPhone they will be flogged, but if I’m not careful technology will take over my life.

I don’t want to be available twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, but if I’m not careful it could very easily happen. It’s just to easy get drawn into those smart shinny little handheld devices that connect me to the world. After all, that text or email that just came in give me a little look into what the person on the other is doing. And even though I really don’t care that the person sending the text slipped on the slimy top from the Spam can that fell off the counter while making their Spam and cheese sandwich for dinner, and then as they were crashing to the floor they flung their sandwich across the room smacking their cat in the face with it. It would be rude not to respond with at least a “LOL :)”. (If you don’t what what LOL is, then you probably don’t have the problem of technology-interruptish.)

To help control technology-interruptish in our house we have a couple of hours of technology free family time when everyone is home. We log off the computer and place our cell phones in a basket. Then we play games or, as seen in the photograph below, do word finds and crossword puzzles. The only exception using technology is when we watch a movie. I even got a little reprimanded last night from my daughters for making this photo.

I’m very thankful for family time.