These are a few of my favorite things

I'm a pretty simple, non frilly girl.

Favorite attire: jeans
Favorite shoes:  flip flops
Usual hair style:  pony tail
Panty hose:  N E V E R

In fact, if it means dressing up I usually will subconsciously avoid it.  Kinda pathetic but true.

But my FAVORITE all time accessory?

My NIKON DSLR camera.

Pure.  Love.

Once upon a time in the dark ages of the 80's I found a love for photography.  I borrowed a 35mm camera from a friend to take a class in high school.  Our school even gutted an old closet to set up a dark room.  That dark room was a little piece of discovery heaven to me.  Playing with the light to correct a shot, enlarging and cropping to perfection, burning areas of an image....I can almost smell the chemicals and feel that initial eye adjustment when you kill the lights and fire up the red light for processing.  

It wasn't long and I invested in my own 35mm, and then, a nice zoom lens.

HOWEVER

Shooting without a dark room?  Ya.  It kinda sucked.  Somehow getting those rolls of film back when 1 in 10 shots actually came out became a whole lot less fulfilling.  The process of crossing my fingers and rarely getting the image I attempted continued after I had my kids.  I became so frustrated I put the 35mm on the shelf and went to a point and shoot camera.  B O R I N G.

If I haven't mentioned it before, I happen to have the most AMAZING and GIVING husband EVER.  He's been trying to get me to upgrade to a DSLR forever.  And I really do mean forever.  He knew my original passion.  And he knew the slow death of it - complete with the strings of swearing I would mutter through every special occasion and holiday when my fully retarded point and shoot couldn't figure out if we were shooting on the beach at high noon, or the dead of night under full eclipse.  

Seriously.  I had had it.  I waved the white flag and admitted I was ready.  

MR. MAN KNOWS HOW TO HOOK A GIRL UP

I consulted my bro who was also shopping for an upgrade at the time.  After a full green light from the hubster, the Nikon DSLR came into my life.  

Ahhhh SNAP!

I've got so much to learn.  But you know what?  When I've got my favorite accessory around my neck and I set out for an adventure?  It's like crack and therapy all wrapped up in one nice package.  It's truly my passion.  And thanks to my husband, IT'S BACK.

You know who else I'm thankful for?

My photo peeps.  My heart is so full of love for you.....talk amongst yourselves......

Thank you for mentoring me, encouraging me, and sharing the love baby.

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Ok, one last thing.  I can't let this pre-Christmas week of madness go by without sharing.  My heart about burst from happiness and a mother load of pride. 

You'll never believe who's teacher got her to do praise music in church recently.  I loved her little fidgety hands on her dress that couldn't stay still from nerves.  And that smile while she sang after she realized she was up there, and doing it, and it didn't kill her after all.  

Break out of that shell girlfriend.  Because to me, when you let a little glimpse of that talent out of your protective bag?  

Best.  Christmas.  Gift.  Ever.

Merry Christmas to you all ~