Friends stab you in the front...or something like that.

Do you ever just have one of those days when anything remotely emotional sends you into a bout of tears?

Maybe I can chalk it up to being premenstrual (sorry, guys, but it's probably the truth), but something has...well, ignited in me today. I have honestly started crying about six or seven times. Obviously, I haven't stopped to count how many times I actually let the waterworks go, but that's beside the point. Anyway, it started this afternoon when I was watching reruns of So You Think You Can Dance. In season seven, Kent Boyd and Neil Haskell dance a contemporary piece choreographed by Travis Wall.

I'm posting the video from Youtube of the whole piece, but for those who don't want to watch it, I'll explain. The story behind the dance goes a little like this...

Two friends, lifelong and seemingly loyal, begin to grow apart. One of the young men (in this, played by Kent) discovers his friend (played by Neil) has done something to betray him. A scuffle ensues, arguments, altercations, whatnot of the like. In the end of the dance, the two seem to have accepted that their bridge has burnt and that the likeliness of a reunion is slim to none.

When I first saw the dance last year, I hardly thought of it as anything more than a pretty (albeit raw) twirl across a floor. I never thought that the pain striking across poor Kent's face when Neil stabs him in the back would ever register across my own. I won't go into any painstaking details as it's personal and very probably improper to discuss it via the internet, but I've recently come to a reevaluation of my friendships with a certain few people.

This year has been mandated by some grace of the universe for burning bridges. Several of my friends who I was close to are no longer friends anymore. It takes quite a bit to upset me, but as most of you know, I'm a loyal person. I believe in second chances and practice giving them infinitely. I don't like to give up on relationships; it has always been hard for me to do that.

Anyway, without further ado, I present Kent Boyd and Neil Haskell's contemporary piece chronicling the demise of a long lasting friendship.

So the 26 Things is quite a bit more of a challenge than I would have originally thought. Still, I'm working on it as best I can. I should be able to draw on some other resources come the end of next week, when I go on a trip to Wimberley with some family members.

I'm trying to decide how I will track my progress. Besides making a separate folder for the 26 Things I photograph, I think I might end up uploading only one of the two photos I take for each thing until the very end of the challenge. This way, I can at least keep you guys KIND OF stimulated and in the dark, so to speak, on my journey through the project. There are only a couple of the tasks that I'm really worried about capturing. Weather is hard to capture in photo when you live in a state going through a record-breaking drought (not to mention, Texas only really has two seasons; summer and dead). Tomorrow is going to be difficult for me to complete. Beyond taking a picture of a calendar, I can't really think of much else to use for that specific item. Any suggestions would be gladly considered...

6. Round

11. Eyes

1. Dark
2. Glow
3. Smile
4. Weather
5. New
7. Tangle
8. Up in the air
9. Patterns
10. Tomorrow
12. A sign

13. A Self Portrait 

A note to readers: I try my best to keep my images unedited. All of the imperfections you may see (especially in my skin, blech) are reality. If the image isn't what I want it to be, I tend to take more pictures until I capture the effect I see in my head.

If I could reach the stars...

It has recently come to my attention that I have been neglecting my artistic "talents."


Most of my friends, family and associations know me as a rather avid writer (despite a very long break from this blog). But one of my other passions is photography. I suppose my passion for the art actually started in high school when my parents bought me my first little digital camera, but my interest in it stretches back to when I got an i-zone sticker camera in elementary school (seriously, does anyone else remember those things? THEY WERE AWESOME).


I've always loved photography, had a rather keen eye for a good photo or pleasing composition, but I never really considered myself talented in being able to capture those precious moments in time. When I got my first digital camera, I remember being pretty ecstatic. "I can document everything! I can remember everything! I can carry it with me everywhere! With this little camera, I will rule the world!"... Well, not really, but I suppose you should know that I was, in a word, over-excitable when I was young(er). 


I never took any photography classes. Never really bothered to read up on techniques or famous photographers. The extent of my knowledge of the art was limited to what I would stumble upon on the internet or in the clearance book bins at Wal-Mart. In the past few years, this has all changed. I make a concentrated effort to look through galleries of art online, I buy books instructing readers on proper "rule of thirds" technique, and I even went so far as to get Creative Suite 5 in order to edit what I produce. I'm happy to say that I graduated from my shotty little point and shoot cameras last April and actually own a quality piece of photography equipment. Granted, I still only have one lens besides the one that came with the camera itself, but I manage pretty well when I want to. 


I'm putting more effort into my skills in photography. I want to draw inspiration from my experiences and my love for people and the lines, curves and angles of nature. While browsing the internet yesterday, I found a website dedicated to a monthly project for photographers. The project is called "26 Things: a Photographic Scavenger Hunt." The point of the project is to take 1 photo for each of the 26 items in a list that is posted monthly on sh1ft.org/projects. This month, however, instead of 26 items to shoot, the list is 13 items long, and participators must take two pictures of each item or theme. On the first of the next month, each participator is to return to the website and share their 26 things.


By now, I'm sure that you've guess that I plan on trying the project out. I'm hoping that this project will help me sharpen my skills and increase my awareness of the world around me. 


All of that being said, here is the 26 Things list of November 2011.


1. Dark
2. Glow
3. Smile
4. Weather
5. New
6. Round
7. Tangle
8. Up in the air
9. Patterns
10. Tomorrow
11. Eyes
12. A sign
13. A Self Portrait


I think I will start tomorrow...