Monday, February 22, 2010

Catching Up


Wow! I haven't posted since last July? I can't believe it.

First, I need to say that I feel fine. I'm going on three years post cancer surgery and there is no sign of cancer anywhere. I need a couple more years of monitoring, but the odds are now tipping in my favor. I continue to get stronger and should be able to return to full time work this summer.

One of the unanticipated benefits of that nightmare is that it's easy to keep my weight under control. Another is that my hair has turned from mostly grey to mostly brown again. Ahh...the wonders of chemo and radiation...

After my last entry, life got busy and out of control. We had a series of health crises with parents beginning in August that took us to the East Coast for weeks at a time.

Sadly, Sharon's father died about three weeks ago and we've just returned from the funeral. We'll miss my father - law a lot. We are happy to have had him through his 90th birthday, but there are never enough years for a guy who added so much love and joy to the world.

At the same time, my work increased geometrically, and I've been juggling work and personal time for months in a way that I've never had to do before. More about that in another entry....maybe next week.

So, there has been little discretionary time to devote to photography and painting. I long to get back to it.

Some good things have happened just the same. I've been accepted into an amazing photographer's organization called Image Makers. www.imagemakers.org

Image Makers is based in Monterey County and includes about 60 wonderful photographers, many of whom are icons in the famous Monterey school of photography.

We get together to show and critique work once a month. The atmosphere of the group is constructive and collegial. I'm sure my photography will grow enormously when I get a little more time to participate. If you look at the membership roster on the website, you can link to the work of over half of the members who maintain their own photography web sites.

I submitted some images for a show that will start this Friday evening with a reception at the Pacific Grove Arts Center in Pacific Grove, CA. The images above are the two images that were juried in. I'm very excited to get my feet wet with this public exhibit. I've seen the images that were accepted and I think it will be a great show. The reception is open to the public. Try to come by between 7-9 this Friday! You'll see some great photography and meet some great people.