Following Through

Doing what you say you're going to do can be tough.

At least for me.

I seem to suffer from chronic not-following-through-syndrome.

It all began circa two-thousand-and-six.

I'd always planned on going to law school. It sounded like a good enough plan.

So, I chose a major (Criminal Justice) and declared myself as "pre-law."

I'll never understand why my parents let me pick Criminal Justice. I'm pretty much qualified to be a Cop or a mall security guard. Thankfully I have a business minor.

I met with the pre-law advisor every few months and studied for the LSAT. I took the LSAT, and I actually did pretty well. However, I procrastinated and didn't get my applications in until the very last day at 12 am - I'm not kidding.

I actually cancelled my first date with Reed to finish those dang applications!

When I didn't get into law school immediately, I freaked out, got really embarrassed and withdrew my application. Fear of rejection?? Let's just say I never pursued that avenue ever again.

Later in 2007 I married Reed.

Turns out the man upstairs really knows what he's doing... being married to a lawyer reminds me every day that it was a blessing in disguise that I didn't go to law school. The majority of it sounds rather boring and I don't think I'm cut out for a desk job.

Confused and desperate to find a career, I completed the 60 hour course that is required to obtain an Alabama Real Estate License.

I never took the state exam.

Then I decided to take the GMAT. Lord.

This was yet another attempt at grad school. I did OK on the test.

Good enough to get into UAB, but I never even applied!

Are you seeing a trend?? What is wrong with me?

During the whole GMAT/MBA period, I got a job at a big law firm in Birmingham in the recruiting department. I worked there for about a year and happily quit shortly before Chappell was born. It was then that I realized I would not, could not (been reading a lot of Green Eggs and Ham lately) ever have a boss again.

Well, if it's at all possible.

I'm kind of a control freak, and being bossed around has never really been my thing.

The whole point of all of this rambling and rather embarrassing admission is:

I {think} I finally know what I want to do.

I'm signing up for a Photography Certificate Program. I haven't signed up yet, but I'm hoping that by posting this, I will go ahead and just do it!

It's for "students who want to go into photography as a career or earn extra income and receive a certificate."

I know that my photographs are just average now... but I'm hoping that the class + some new equipment + Photoshop will fix that.

None of my photos on this blog have been Photoshopped. I don't even own Photoshop.

This will be a process, that is for sure.

I'm not saying that I (necessarily) want to be a professional. But if a year from now, I'm a half decent photog, I wouldn't be opposed to the idea.

I love photography and I love taking pictures of babies and children even more.

If I could earn a living doing what I love, what could possibly be better?

When Chappell was about 6 months old, my dad gave me his Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT.

It was like Christmas... in July (truly).

Dad, thank you for giving me one of your most favorite "toys." If you know my dad, you know how much he loves his cameras.

*My dad was a sports photographer back in the day... and a good one at that! He has a few magazine covers and is friends w/ a few professional tennis stars (from the 70's) that he used to photograph. Pretty neat!

I even inherited his famous "DON'T DROP MY CAMERA!!" face!!

Here are a few of my faves from the Rebel... pre-instruction.

New York post still coming!