Pretty Things

Honestly, I wish I had this kind of photography skill.

This lovely photo is courtesy of Shaded Memories, on Etsy.

I always wanted to be creative like this. Gifted with he kind of perspective that could see these angles and make something beautiful out of a simple thing like a flower or a cloud or a fencepost.

Some people just have that artistic gift. I've always been envious of artsy folks. People who's talent just flows out of them so easily..like they don't even have to think about it.

Unlike me, who only occasionally manages a good photo, usually out of luck, or maybe after a painstaking set up of my subjects, and about 50 retakes of the shot. Not exactly genius at work.

My husband is pretty good with the camera. We bought a very nice one with some of our tax money this year (a Nikon D3000), and he's managed to take some really creative shots. He's not too shabby of an artist himself, although he doesn't get much call for his skills in his day job with the Air Force. Our camera has offered him a nice creative outlet, and we've gotten some great family and nature photos, thanks to him.

I know I would love the camera even more if we had another lens for it..for the real detail shots..but I don't have an extra $300 for that at the moment.

I suppose my "artistic" talent is my writing. Though, as with art, the enjoyment of it by others is purely subjective. I think I'm decent, but in the past, my greatest writing triumphs were of the most boring kind.

I'm a super essay writer. And, even more exciting, I can write a thriller of a business letter!

You can imagine the acclaim I've received over the years from my teachers and bosses. Gosh, just the kind of creative feedback a sensitive artist needs. I am quite often asked to "read this over for me, Jen?" and help others to improve whatever it is they have written. Some people have asked "why don't you become an editor?", but what they don't realize is that you can't just stroll into a publishing house and tell them your quite good at critiquing other people's work. They don't hire editors that way. More like an uphill struggle, prefaced by years of education, followed by years of working from the bottom of the publishing business, up to the heights of a respected editorial position. I feel a bit old and under-educated to begin that trek right now.

I did write a book a couple of years ago. I participated in NanoWrimo for the fun of it. I was able to finish my 50,000 word goal in the month's time, but I never took them up on their offer to publish a copy of the story. It was no "grand prize" or anything, you simply write your novel, upload it at the end of the 30 days, and if their word counting program can verify that you've written the 50,000 words, they award you with a free printed copy of your book, courtesy of Amazon. But after I "won", I reread the book, decided it was good, but far too cliche, and told myself I'd edit it and then do the publishing thing later.

But, lazy me, I didn't get around to editing my own book, and the year passed and my prize was no longer valid. I did give the one printed copy to my mother to read, but if her lack of interest is any indication, my literary masterpiece was more of a novice snooze-fest.

Anyway, I am glad I have this blog to make me feel like I have some artistic merit. I know not everyone can blab on and on every day. I guess my creativity is good for something. But don't ask to read my book. It will shatter the illusion of talent that I've worked so hard to conjure with these blog entries. Short and sweet is my strength. Novels are much harder. And more embarrassing.