What Is All This Nonsense Then?

What is this all about?

Valid question.

What this is all about is primarily (more or less, that is) primarily about me having a goal. It's also about me wanting to hold on to my hobbies; to not lose the things that keep me happy again.

See the last year (and honestly, much longer than that) has not been entirely good to me. I was laid off in February in what amounted to one of the worst weeks of my life. Roughly three weeks ago I started a temporary gig, but this is the first employment I've had. As I'm sure you well know the economy sucks right now. There aren't many jobs out there and there are LOADS of people trying to find jobs. I only have a couple years of experience and an obscure degree in art history to stand on. This doesn't put me at the top most employers' lists. Being laid off was one of the worst experiences I've ever had. Going almost ten months, busting my butt to find a job - any job, without ANY results has only added to the degrading, dehumanizing feeling created that day. There are a many positive aspects to having no means of gainful employment though.

Okay there are a some.

Well... a few any way.

A couple.

Alright there are two.

1) You have plenty of time to watch TV (if you can afford TV) and read (if you can afford books.)

2) You also have plenty of time to evaluate your life.

The bad part about that, however, is you sometimes come to the conclusion that you're 25, you've been killing yourself to prove yourself at work for two years only to get unceremoniously dumped, and you can't remember a single thing you used to do to make yourself happy.

In other words, while I was trying to carve a place for myself in the corporate world, I completely lost touch with my hobbies.

Awhile back I remembered that I used to love photography. I was kind of good at it too. Once and awhile hit the nail on the head and came up with something neat, or pretty, or interesting.

I intend for this blog to serve as a way for me to keep in touch with my hobby. To remember, on a daily basis, that I love photography. I love finding things that interest me. And I love taking the time to find some beauty in my surroundings.

Likewise I truly love the idea that we are always surrounded by beautiful things - If we bother to look around and notice. Most of the things you'll see on this blog will probably be very average, everyday things. I like taking the time to appreciate the beauty in what surrounds me every day. And I love the idea of having a daily reminder - a daily responsibility - to do just that.

I'm doing this for me. If you're reading; that's awesome. I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to comment, email the blog, or lurk - whatever you like. My name is Cait - it's nice to meet you.

Today's photo was taken in Rice Park in downtown St. Paul, MN. The Winter Carnival doesn't begin until later this month but the holiday decorations that go up every year are absolutely lovely. They make Rice Park look like magic; like it could be a corner of Never Never Land or something, rather than a half-block square block of grass in the middle of the city. I have several photos of the lights in the park, but I particularly like this one because of the slightly weird angle and how the lights in the trees almost look like fireworks hanging in the sky. There's also something I really like about the contrast between the sort of serenity of the christmas lights and the sort of old-timey streetlamp next to the SUV and building.