DRY Ink

I finally bought myself the Crumpler Sinking Barge. I’ve wanted one for like forever, or about year now, which is forever in Erika years, but what ever.

Here’s the thing. I thought I needed this pack for quick trips to carry my lap top, camera equipment and a few essentials. I even made sure I bought one that would hold equipment I see in my future, such as that new Nikon 50mm f/1.4, that Ken Rockwell convinced me I needed in order to be truly happy. (He is right, I’m sure of it.) I’m all set to travel now, in one lovely backpack, instead of the three separate bags it usually takes me to achieve this.

But none of this is why I’m loving this bag so. I have yet to even load it. It is sitting in a living room chair, bringing joy to my life. How is it bringing joy to my life you might ask? Well that would be a good question. One I’m not sure I can even put into words. But I’m gonna try. For you.

You see I do this thing, where I regularly have a fake name made up. One that at any moment I can run away and assume. Sometimes I run away to the beach and surf and sometimes I run away to the mountains to ski. Other times I back pack Europe. I almost always, (almost) take Jeff with me, so I’m not sure why I even need this name. But I love this name. When I stop loving it, I make up a new one. And then I love the name again.

That’s what the Crumpler is doing in the chair for me right now. Just knowing that at any moment, I can grab my back pack, equipment and name and head the door for a whole new life, well that’s one of the things that keeps me so happy right where I am. So I guess just having the bag/name/plan means that I will never actually need them. Because as perfect as the bag/name/plan are, it’s pretty damn good here too.

I guess I just need options.

So I had this anniversary recently.

Maybe you’ve heard?

And it was incredible.

Driving down to New Orleans in this

Shooting a trash the dress session ending with this

Wandering around Magazine street, shopping and snapping some of the best pictures of my life.
Like this one

Yeah, I have no idea who he is, but he had an accent.

And this one

But just when I think I have this whole photography thing down, I get the proofs from Becky and I’m blown away by real talent.

Seriously, she is incredible. Go check them all out, and oogle what I have to live up to if I ever am going to be a ‘real’ photographer.

I can’t wait to wall paper my house with them all.

I’ve decided to dedicate July, or what’s left of it, to truth. I really like this idea, especially because there is a lot of truths I’m having to learn in my life right now. Don’t get me wrong, things are great, I mean REALLY great. It’s just that they are completely different from how I thought my life would look at this point. Or even look if it was really great. And that’s okay, as I’m now learning.

Take work for example. I’ve repetitively said I would quit when I became licensed. That’s just not happening, even if I wanted to. Between shortages, schedules and hiring freezes, there is no way in hell I’m leaving my office high and dry right now. But here’s the truth of it: I don’t want to. Since starting the application process and becoming licensed, I find myself much more energized. I no longer feel like a second class citizen, doing the same things as everyone else and getting over looked and paid half. Mostly because, well, I’m not any more. That’s helped, I have to admit, but there’s more. Somewhere in this process I have found my bliss again. I have relearned why I do this. Part of this is due to some successes I’ve had and part of it is just really being needed. But what ever it is, it’s working. At least for now. I’m not saying I’m now immune to burn out. It is still there, I feel it below the surface, but for now it is staying below and as long as it does, I’m going to keep my head down and keep working. And hopefully helping and making a difference for some people.

So this is where I sit today, as I try to wrap up some projects around the house before heading out to Beach Week ’09. Which is no easy task, because I’ve recently discovered decorating blogs. (I know, as usual, I’m really late to the party.) I started building a new bench for the mud room at eight o’clock last night. Jeff has threaten to put parental control software on my laptop to monitor the use of my newly discovered porn. (Yes, it is that bad. How did I not know this stuff was out there people? I blame you.)

But I’m gonna keep sitting, and working and killing Jeff with my late night/heel wearing projects, because I’m liking where I’m sitting right now. It’s different, but it’s really comfortable.

Now let’s get packed people, ’cause we head out early in the morning. No pushing or shoving and last one on the beach is a rotten egg.

*Completely stolen from Rae, who stole it from her nephew.

Things are starting to return to normal around here. The cherubs are all back in school, I’m working regularly, we are riding bikes to school again and yoga’s back on tonight. Next week I will take myself to the movies, (hopefully something decent will come out.) I’m anxious to get back to some long put aside projects around headquarters, like Jeff’s poor shower, but I think the fence and roof will take precedence over these things. So almost there, just not quite yet. I feel like it’s been forever, but it’s only actually been just over 2 weeks. Weird the way the mind processes things. I now know I need to handle some issues I’ve been stuffing and can’t put them off til ‘I have the time’ anymore. The moral of the story is you just never know when more shit is gonna get piled on and kick up old issues you’ve shoved under the living room rug, so you damn well better keep that area clear. See I learn these lessons the hard way so you don’t have too. Your welcome. Again.

I will update, but for now all I can say is that it was bad, really bad, so bad that over half Baton Rouge is still without power. Until then: I am up and running and watching Ike closely. We won’t even get into work.