It’s a glimpse of the bleeding
obvious to say that I haven’t done a blog post for a looooong,
long time. There are a lot of reasons for this, but the most
honest is that I lost interest. Let’s face it, I have the
attention span of a gnat, so I’m surprised I lasted this long.
But before I hang up the tranquil townhouse blogging boots there are
some things I need to say. Naturally! Buckle up for a longish read.
2012 was a very eventful year for me
in both my personal and professional life. I made a bad decision in
the former (which I was blessedly able to make right) and some good
ones in the work context. One of those good work decisions means I’m
now working four days a week and devoting my day off to an interest that I hope to build into some form of professional undertaking. It
also means that I can devote a bit more time to doing some things for mum and dad, albeit remotely. Dad’s
Alzheimer’s is progressing, but slowly, and mum’s doctor
describes her as 'off with the pixies' so I have my work cut out!
If you’ve been with me for a while
you’ll know that I can be a bit of a flibbertigibbet, or so it
seems. I’ve tried my hand at writing, I’ve flirted with design,
I’ve done any number of crafty things (and I don’t care what
anyone says I still love my knitted dishcloths!!) but nothing has
really stuck, and I’ve not had the drive to work at any of it hard
enough to consider myself ‘successful’. Whatever that means.
Until now.
Photography has grabbed me by the
….ahmm, whatevers; shown me a new way of looking at the world,
inspired me to get back into learning and study, and given me a
glimpse of another way to perhaps one day earn some money. A way
that is very different to the way I’ve been doing it all my life.
I need to challenge myself, and
while I’ve had a wonderful career in the HR field and continue to
work happily in it (there are after all still bills to pay), I want
and need a change. I want to see where I can take this interest in
photography. I know it won’t be easy, but I’m going to give it a
red hot go. The Diploma of Photography is underway, I’m practising
new techniques, trying to get a handle on my style (if indeed there
is a need to have just one), taking instruction and getting
‘assignments’, or as some may put it ‘suggestions’ from the
man in my life who is a visual artist and photography teacher…and
quite honestly, I’m just having a lot of fun.
I started this blog for the simple
reason of practising my writing…a suggestion from the first born
and a very good one at that….at the time. But it has surprised me
that writing is not what I want to do. I’ll leave that to Jess…who
has just been very brave, left CLEO and is starting to freelance (so
if you’re looking for a great writer....call me)! My son Ben has
grown with this blog as well, got a degree, moved house a gazillion
times, has started a new job in a place that will
feed his soul, and been a wonderful creative support to me. I have
truly awesome kids.
So possums, it’s time for me to
concentrate on other things. But my we’ve had a good time together
haven’t we? We’ve shared our ups and downs, been supportive of
each other (your concern when I was diagnosed with depression brought
me to tears on more than one occasion…in a good way), laughed…a
lot, looked at pretty pictures, done a bit of soul searching…all of
that stuff that friends do. You have brought a great deal of joy to
my life with your humour and care, the occasional well intentioned
and witty jibe and the sincerity of your good wishes. You might like
to know that I woke up one morning a few weeks ago and thought to
myself, wow, I’m really happy :)
I have built a website for my photography and I've also started a photography blog. I’m
on facebook (as me) and on instagram (as kerry_j_martin). I’d
love to see you any of those places. There is a trip to Paris, Arles, Venice and
Florence coming up in July to tempt you to follow along!
The vampire slayer is not well, in fact she has cancer and the vet says she probably only has a few months left. Ever annoying to the last, here she is lying on my black velvet photo backdrop shedding fur and dribbling as I type! But I will miss her hugely.
If she
could talk I’m sure she’d say thank you as well. You’ve been a
great Buffy fan club so I guess it’s fitting she have the last
word.
Miaow.
