i took another step

in Operation Creative Block.  I won't go into detail because it's something I've never done and we all know how awkward I am when it comes to stepping outside my comfort zone.  Let's just say it's no big deal but in a way it seems like a big deal for somebody who doesn't really like to put herself out there.  Okay, fine.  I'll give a few hints.  It involves prints and a few things I've talked about recently.

I have no picture to share for the creative block but I do have a couple to share proving that cats really are jerks.  This is from Strat.

I attempted to move him out of the chair and he just about attacked me!  I was bleeding and now the two bites on my arms are bruised.  I told him not to cross me because I'd let the dogs in and close my eyes.  What a jerk.

i was out at the

local tennis court with Cosme on Sunday morning.  That sounds totally misleading.  I didn't go out there to play, I actually didn't even go out there with him.  He went out there to hit a few balls off his machine while I lounged around before getting ready for church.  Not long after he left, he called and said he'd forgotten the thing to pick up the balls and asked if I'd bring it out.  I got out there and picked up a few balls.  I walked around for a little bit with my camera but it was so hot and humid, my lens wouldn't quit fogging up.  I took a picture anyway.

Then I headed back to the house to start getting ready... and Cosme still managed to be ready a few minutes before me.

on friday i signed

off because I hadn't had lunch or breakfast and just ate the Cheetos from the last picture.  I needed to go get something to eat.  Guess what.  I didn't.  I got sidetracked and before I knew it, the only thing in my stomach was margaritas.  Really strong margaritas.  Let's just say Friday didn't end well and Saturday was spent in bed.  I don't have a theme from the list but let's just go with "what happened Friday".

Again with the 50mm and black/white.

I learned a few things on Friday.

1.  Make SURE you remember to eat something before you meet for drinks.
2.  If you don't, make sure it's a place you'll never go to again... it makes running into walls and holding onto walls for balance less embarrassing.
(And having your car parked where the patrons can't watch while Cosme walks you out to the car so you can TCB before you pass out doesn't hurt either.) Just saying...

today's post is

"texture".  I stuck with the 50mm but opted out of black and white because it took away a lot of the detail.

I have no time to discuss anything else because there is an open bag of Cheetos sitting right next to me and I haven't had breakfast or lunch.

day three is here

and I feel I've accomplished a little more.  I've been reading a few articles and apparently, this funk of a creative slump is an actual thing.  Well, maybe not officially but enough for people to feel the need to write articles on it.  So I did some reading and will do more reading today.  One of the suggestions was finding a photography club.  Sure, there's always Houston Center for Photography but the photo walks/capture crawls are once a month and sometimes that one day happens when I'm busy... or too busy to drive to Houston.  Like I said, I'll keep reading today and hopefully find something.  The photo club was sounding a little better than doing things on my own, especially since a man's body was found last week under a local bridge.  They still haven't found his head or a suspect.

On a lighter note, today's photo was still with the 50mm and the theme was "black and white". 

Now I'll continue on with my reading/researching while I fight to stay awake with this sinus pill and squeeze in some time to make a batch of snickerdoodles.

day two of

the attack on the creative block and it seems things are about the same as day one.  Oh well, what's important is that I'm trying.  Right?  Anyway, I stuck with the same lens (50mm) and black and white.  The next topic on some of the lists was "rule of thirds".  I would explain but it seems a little obvious... and that's coming from someone who has a username of FractionsAreStupid.  The same person who, when learning about fractions in elementary school, didn't understand that "two-and-a-half" meant "2 plus a half" but instead "I have 2 and one of those is a half".  Perhaps I've always been an over analyzer but I eventually caught on, eventually.

Anyway, today's "rule of thirds" is Lucille and there are two.  Not 2 1/2 but two whole pictures of Lucille.  And don't pull a ruler or grid out because they seem more rule-of-thirds-ish.

Wait, two pictures for one challenge?  Could this be progress?  I'm not sure but it wouldn't hurt to over analyze it, I guess.


Now I'm off to do a few chores before I leave to count at the church.  And also, I've been using my computer in the kitchen and the smell of that banana bread in the oven is about to be too much.

i've been in somewhat

of a photography rut.  Maybe not so much a rut as an uncreative streak.  Creative block.  That's a good term for it.  I want to do but I don't know what to do or where to start.  Earlier this year I mentioned all the lists I found on Pinterest to getting back on track, especially when it comes to things like being organized... and we all see how far I got on those.  So for the last few nights when animals woke me up and I couldn't get back to sleep, I picked up my phone and started searching for ways to get ideas.  We all know I do a daily Instagram challenge and that's great and all but it's just my phone and I want more.  So I found a few more lists with daily themes, along with a few ideas of using one lens for a while or all this or that or whatever.

Well, it wasn't just an uncreative streak that hit, I also updated my operating system a few weeks ago, just before I took some prom pictures for a friend.  Long story short, I couldn't open anything from my camera on my computer.  I finally found the cure, which came through asking for help on an Adobe forum and assistance from Cosme on following the directions I was given.  (ps- two things I've NEVER been good at are math and computers) We fixed it yesterday, I got the prom pics finished and here I am now.

So, to work my way out of this rut or around this block, I looked over a couple of lists and the first one on each was "self portrait".  Here's what I did last night.

It's a self portrait with one of the things that might be keeping me in a creative block, my phone. Words With Friends, anyone?  Also, I used my 50mm lens and decided to go with black and white. Maybe one of those will be the start of a theme?  We'll see.

Today I'll look more into getting around creative blocks in addition to putting a few things back on the computer that I had to delete yesterday.  Hopefully this ends well.