Last night, I went down a little rabbit hole on the blog segment of the internet. A photo on Pinterest led to a post on a blog which led to another blog and another, et cetera, et cetera. 

A little known fact about me: I originally wanted to go to school for photography. My senior year of high school was spent stressing about future college plans and simultaneously doing as little schoolwork as possible. I was supposed to write a 100 page script for my final project in film class. It didn't get written. And I spent more time chillin' in teacher's offices than any student who's not in trouble should. As a high school student [in America], they teach you how to solve complex calculus formulas, and they break down the specifics of the War of 1812, but they don't teach you how to manage money or use credit wisely, and then they still expected you to choose a path for your future and know what you want to do for the rest of your life. It's backwards, IMO. Then college students get condemned for switching majors multiple times or taking time off from their studies. Like most people, young adults need time to figure out major life decisions, but that pressure to jump into a collegiate career immediately after graduation, lest you waste your life away, is daunting.

I felt that pressure. Going to college was ingrained in my thought-process from the time I started grade school. I wanted to be everything from a doctor to a lawyer to a photographer. I dropped those first two dreams like a bad habit once I started coming into my own, but photography nestled it's way deep into my heart and held on tight. After researching a couple run-of-the-mill, typical four-year universities, I decided to check out Savannah College of Art and Design, and I even toured the campus. Little did I know, fancy schmancy schools like that require portfolio submissions with their applications, and being raised by a single mother meant we didn't have the expendable funds to buy me a fancy schmancy camera to practice with and pop out some solid material, and the photos from my Kodak EasyShare Point-and-Shoot camera definitely wouldn't've made the cut. That, paired with the "photographers don't always make much money" statements from many people steered me away from pursuing a professional career behind the camera.

Now here I am, almost 10 years later [yikes!], with an English degree. I've come to be very happy with my decision to pursue Creative Writing, and I actually cherish and appreciate my university experience. Things really do happen for a reason. BUT I still drool in awe at beautiful photography, wishing I could create similar art of my own. When I come work that I admire, inspiration wells inside me, hitting the spot like a Thanksgiving meal.

I try to bring the visuals to life through my writing, but sometimes that's super limiting. I can describe a beautiful sunset with all the eloquence and articulation of a thousand Ernest Hemmingways, but actually showing the hues of the horizon and how the light meshes with the sky will always be powerful on a different level.

Hopefully I'll be able to step my game up this year. Here's to new levels in 2014.