Life and Other Stuff

At 10:30pm on my fiftieth birthday, my five adult children talked me into getting a tattoo. It somehow seemed an appropriate rite to commemorate my half-century mark.
That day I made another important decision. I determined from that point on to try at least one new thing every year. In the decade since then, my first-time experiences have included learning to play tennis, visiting Hong Kong's DisneyWorld, playing in a 3-on-3 volleyball tournament, finishing a master's degree, entering (and winning) a local poetry contest, publishing a book, and taking up photography. Now, a month away from turning sixty, my latest new venture is joining this FineArtAmerica site.
I have no delusions about my artistic talent. I know very well that I'll never be the next Ansel Adams or Dorothea Lange. The intricacies of digital photo editing still bewilder me, and probably always will. But I love taking photos. With every picture I snap, I feel the same kind of rush I used to get when landing a fish or connecting with a base hit in softball. It's fun, pure and simple. And capturing memories on camera let me pull them out to enjoy again and again.
So here's to the beginning of this new thing. As always, I'm excited about the chance to learn and grow.