photos

 One thing I know for sure is that I have definitely neglected my photography.  If there is something I need to do to regain my sense of self, this is one of them.  

I can see how this happened.  Some practical/computer issues put a big damper on them.  To make a sad sob story short, I had to get a new cordless mouse and while using it my fingers accidentally clicked or something and I unclicked a setting in my editing software, and I had no idea what I did.  It took a while, and several videos and pleading text messages but several MONTHS later I have it now resolved.

Lake Superior near Duluth- I dont think this is going to be the final version of this photo.

I also had a creative block you could say, where I had a hard time with subject matter.  Many reasons for this, but I think I have worked my way through that one.  I have such freaking high expectations for myself.  Its a problem.  

I did some editing this weekend, but I had some house issues (dear god, the shit just never ends sometimes) and I was quite distracted.  I am going to give it a go today again.  At least it rained!

Basically I am getting in my own way- which has been known to happen.  So, I am clearing my path and doing what I want.  I have made plans for a few more getaways and one more yet in the planning stage.  THESE are things that I need to do. 

Onward!  I have a new abandoned building on another camera from this one, and that will be this afternoons goal.

Well then...

Ok so it is almost 2 pm and I still haven't eaten lunch, although I am literally starving.  But no, I am here writing a blogpost because I feel the need to sort through things....  who even am I any more??

Newest abandoned find- must return in spring

So since we (I) last spoke- seriously I am getting light headed, I have to grab my foods- I have done a lot of the things. Oh yeah, that is much better- a small stack of pringles does not cut it for lunch...   First off today I - after weeks of quite the rigamarole and a lot of angst and indecision and such- took some framed photos up to Fanatical Fish in Butternut.  This has been in the works for over 2 years I believe, but it took me retiring before I could manage to make it happen.  And I understand why- trying to decide what to print, where to get it framed, which cards I wanted to produce for selling (a whole additional story), finding all the bits and pieces and ordering and managing and of course I am taking more photos and going on adventures.... and I have turned into a squirrel apparently and am distracted by shiny things and moving objects.  My brain exhausts me.  I spend a lot of time chasing my tail me thinks.

I had school down to a science.  I was semi organized, had a badillion lessons in my head for ages 4-18, could manage 30 children all doing something different, with art supplies and interruptions.  But trying to do things in a way that is appropriate for a little side-hustle business is WAY beyond my ability.  Snap decisions- I got that covered.  Thought out plans and income management..... gurl (or boy) please....  I have more photos to take. But fortunately I talk to anyone who will listen to me about it and I have good advisors in my life.  One of them has called me a squirrel more than once lately but I'm good with that.  It makes me smile.

Ice at Smith Lake

So, to clarify this all.  A couple summers ago I approached Kelly up at FF about putting some photos in her gallery.  She was really excited for that, but then I had school come along and my underlying but still unrecognized issue of not making decisions quickly cropped up.  New things like that paralyze me.  But since I sort of rashly decided to retire (I am totally capable of fast decisions and pride myself in knowing what I want - usually) I had a little more space in my mind and I talked to her again and began the process.  That is when trouble started: what photos, which size, how many, which company, should they be metal prints, winter or summer, landscape or abandoned....  goodness. (Side note: most of them are abandoned sorts of photos)  Plus Kelly has room to sell cards- and a friend said she would love some winter cards that could be used for Christmas or not!  What pictures, what company, compare prices, how many.....  then get little clear bags, and price stickers... Oh and hey, business cards, a new email for the business (photosbydebikayo@gmail.com) and then I would sit in a corner and play Candy Crush until I came down off my anxious little branch of the tree. 

Houghton Falls

MEANWHILE, I went on 4 vacations this past summer/fall and I still have photos to edit from them- especially the ones from the museums, and I discovered a zillion that I didn't upload of other pix that I need for calendars also, and nothing that has to do with photo editing is fast.  In addition, I took a lot of photos for the newspaper, which definitely cluttered my mind (man I love that though) and that was a heap of editing sprinkled in there as well.  The newspaper editor is a former student (HI SETH!) and he likes to send me on fun assignments. 

Lake Superior Ice in Ashland

So I have had photos printed for quite a while now, ranging from a couple years to a couple months ago, and I chose some to get framed.  There is not a lot of choice up here for that, and I needed to NOT be traveling a long way for this.  So I found the Superior Framing Gallery in Ashland and I have to say how pleased I am with their fast - holy smokes fast- service and really great quality for a reasonable amount of money- framing is expensive you guys, but I certainly don't want to do it myself.  Been there  and done that and I HATE it.   I finally made my way up to Ashland to pick them up (life and the weather got in the way) and I synced schedules with Kelly and got them to the gallery.

After delivering my prints this morning, I decided that having an abandoned building calendar to sell at the Butternut Community Christmas thing (veering off onto another tangent) along with my cards would be a great idea.  So I began making that  when I got home and that is NEVER fast, plus I need to have all 3 of my calendars done by Sunday because there is a 50% off sale and that needs to happen.  SO I stopped everything after the first calendar was ordered and got myself something to eat and wrote this craziness out. 

Lake Superior at the end of the Houghton Falls trail.

I feel slightly less dazed.

Then I think about how probably I should get a website and update the facebook business page I have with photos and then I am thinking maybe I should go play a computer game even though I have a ton of other things I need to do. 

Nothing happens fast in the photography world apparently, especially when you live no where near anything that can assist you in having a finished product.  Oh well, I finally had the framing issue  come together, I have the calendar ordered and I plan to work on the other calendars tomorrow.    Pop open that bottle of white that is in my fridge.  Edit tonight.  Oh wait, I better reverse that order.  Put the cards into their little sleeves and such. 

If you want a calendar, and some people have wanted them before- message or email me.  I have an abandoned building one and I will put together an artsy one if people are interested.  Because I enjoy torturing myself apparently.  If you want to go to Butternut for their little Christmas thing- that is Saturday, 12/7 from 10 - 2.  I will be at Fanatical Fish with my little card table of cards.  Isn't that a nice symmetry?

Otherwise I want you to get out there and find the joy in your life!  Because I feel like mine is getting more joyful again, now that the horror that was the beginning of this year has faded a little.  And I am planning already a few joyful events in 2020!  YAY!  #bringit

Mind Clutterz: old thingz and new thingz

I have been feeling the pull of the blog lately.  Until the last week or so, I have had so much noise in my mind that I haven't been able to clearly focus on almost anything.  Even things I need to get done, don't.  

Retirement - as I indicated earlier- isn't as smooth sailing as one would come to believe.  There is a lot of your self confidence and self worth tied up in your profession, especially one that you have to be fully committed to- heart and mind- like teaching.  I have missed the people and I have missed the kids.  I subbed once a week ago and it was fun, but I determined that the advanced art students should not have me in the building yet. So I am waiting a few more weeks.  

A new gig- so oddly and fortunately- I have a former student (who I adore by the way, he was a memorable and favorite of mine) is the editor at the newspaper here in our county.  He asked me, when he did that amazing article about me for Teacher Appreciation Week, if I would be willing to do some photo assignments.  And I was and I am and I did!  I have done quite a few things now, things I have never done  much before, like shooting football games, lining people up for formal group pictures and taking pictures specifically for the paper with our demographic in mind.  It is interesting and super fun.  I have always loved learning new things, and this is cool. And new photography gear #ftw!!

Speaking of learning new things- for reasons far beyond actual comprehension I am using Duolingo to learn Italian and relearn German.  I had done some language learning a few years ago on Rosetta, but now I am going in a little more deeply.  For whatever reason if I am feeling anxious, I can sit down and plod through Italian for a while and then make myself feel good about my intelligence by zipping through a few German lessons.  

An aside here:  I can testify that if you want to learn a language WELL, start young.  My class in Clinton Schools (WI) was the last class to have German from 4th grade on through High school.   We had a German teacher who came in I think once a week or so when we were younger and then you didn't have to take it after 6th grade.  I think. Hard to remember.  In Jr. High and HS it was a traditional class.  I kept taking it through HS, and was not smart enough to take it in college because I was sick of it by that time.... so I tried taking French which was an epic fail- I passed the class but omg, what a nightmare that was.  All those people yakking on in French, so you knew they had it in high school.  I did not.  Anyway, as I go through the lessons, the German that is, I am fuzzy on vocab, but for whatever reason much of the sentence structure is right there.  I don't think about it, I just know it.  Because I had extensive education in it when I was young....  Italian is hard, you guys.  lol  But I am working through it.  German- which is not a particularly simple language to learn- is easy for me because I had it in my formative years.  It is crazy for schools to be cutting languages... but I digress.

Anyway, I have been taking photos and cleaning up my gardens, and generally enjoying the fall.  This little post satisfied my need to write for the moment and so I guess I will finish up a few things before I go to the football game here in a little while.  Trying out the new lens and all!  It's a beast of a lens but it will be perfect for the challenging lighting conditions.  Good times!  A new way to find my joy.  

Bis später, findest du deine Freude!

Arrivederci 

2016- it was good for me! Was it good for you??

I have seen SO many posts lately about 2016 being bad- I guess if one is an aging celeb or singer- you could be hoping that it ends soon without taking you down with it. But personally, it has not been as bothersome as other years have been- and I have done some more truly spectacular things.  (Yes it is always about me- you should all know this by now)

I saw that Debbie Reynolds was rushed to the  hospital with a possible stroke- as of this moment she is still alive****....  this is a bit more alarming as I was named- at least in part- for Debbie Reynolds.  Now, it isn't like I have her posters hanging all over my bedroom or something, but I definitely enjoyed her acting in movies and on TV.  Especially as Grace's mother on Will and Grace.  Possibly because of the fact that I (and hundreds of other Debbies, Debs, Debis, Deborahs, Debras) am her namesake??  I have never really examined this fact before- so I am letting this roll around in my mind a bit.  It mystifies me that my father wanted to name me that- 1. I never took him/them for a movie star fan type 2. I am also not sure how much input he actually had in my naming actually, but the vibe I got  is that he had a big say in the matter and 3. why in the world, when there is the pretty and concise name Debra - I ended up with Deborah....  and he used to enjoy calling me Debor-ah ha..... um- what? Or maybe I have that backwards.....  One of them wanted it the short way and one the long, and since my father (as told by my mother, so you never know what spin was put on it: we all spin things the way we please) was a bit domineering at times, I am sure he got his way.  AND just fyi- my brother Ed was named for-----drum roll please.......  (maybe you guessed it!) Eddie Fischer.  Yeah, this is quite a large- well- how about that- moment. Or perhaps you just closed your browser and went on with life....  hehe

So, really this has been a pretty good year.  I had an addition to the grandchildren list - little miss Ava- and the horse indeed lived to see another year!  I was going to say I didn't break anything, but scratch that from the list....  Fortunately nothing serious.  The fall weather was GORGEOUS and of course there were the travels!  I found 2 regular kayaking buddies- one of whom I am married to. Huh, who knew.   I got new camera equipment (YESSSS) and a new editing program and that has been quite gratifying.  I am so thrilled with my pictures this year.

I was happy to spend time with many of my friends, and made new ones as well.  AND through the event of a somewhat large numbered class reunion this past summer, I have reconnected with some of my classmates who I have not talked to in SO many years!  It is really a satisfying experience!  I have also found a childhood friend and was fortunate enough to have supper with her one night, and we will definitely do that again.  While there have been some sad and scary things that have happened, in my particular life those have been fairly minimal and I am definitely grateful for that.

I am so sorry if this year sucked for you, but I for one won't be basing the success of the year based on the number of singers and other celebs have died....It is too bad about folks like David Bowie, Prince, Carrie Fisher, but that is definitely life.  I am glad that you are reading this, that you are actually still here in this world.  If you are reading what the Mad-Art teacher has to say, we are most likely in some way connected or special - and that is everything to me.  So while I do think we ought to protect Betty White at all costs (lol) there is a lot more to a year than the casualty list.  

When did this one become 14??

I hope you can look back at your 2016 and find something to smile about~ there has to be things- many things- that have given you joy.

****  well hell, poor Debbie Reynolds died after all...  One should never have to bury a child.  :(

A little Mad Update!

It has been almost a month and what the heck is going on here??  Lol, I have been sort of busy with stuff, and here is a small rundown.

Lola really took this all like a trouper! Other of us, not so much.

 First of all- the play is done and also so is the 3rd quarter.... this sort of speaks for itself I think.

Next- Spring break happened, as did Easter.  As did some doofus kid in the HS (who is lucky I don't remember who they are) sneezed in my general direction and was SICK for the entirety of spring break.  Not like deadly sick after Sunday/Monday but still.  GEEZ.

I was recovered enough Tuesday to go visit the Janesville Oswalds, though I was a little out of it most of the time.  Oh well.  Got to do some Easter egg dyeing and went to the library and the Discovery center and some things like that.  That was pretty enjoyable!  :)

Got to see the Park Falls Oswalds on Easter when they came over to have supper on that Sunday.  SO much fun to see all of them.  Grandchildren are the best, people!!

I may or may not have indicated that I have acquired a new camera/lenses and to go with that new photo editing software.....  And man have I got a lot of learning to do....  These days you will find me glued to my computer screen going through Lightroom editing videos.  It is so different than Aperture, which is what I was using before.  And I have to figure out a way to get my pictures from one computer to another.... its all so damn complicated and I am far from being a computer newbie.  UGH.  Good thing I have a friend who has helped me a little figure this stuff out, now I owe him some honey.  And probably a portion of my soul or something.  hehe

The melting ice at the boat landing....  hurry UP already

Anywho, I've been only able to get out for limited amounts of picture taking since the weather has been decidedly uncooperative these days.  But that is sort of no excuse, but really at this time of the year, no one wants to see shot after shot after shot of grey clouds.  Least of all this sunshiney person.  So I am slowly beginning to reload my RAW files from my SD cards into my new computer and will begin reprocessing. All this sounds like first world problems, I know, but the struggle is real.  HA!!!

A maple tap sap drip!

Let's see what else.... oh.  I am getting to that time during tax season where I am sick of being alone.  This is all exacerbated by the fact that I can't be kayaking.....  I have a super long lens JUST FOR THIS PURPOSE of getting the birds on the water in the early spring and things are not cooperating.  Le sigh.  Anyway, as much as I LOVE my alone time, I'm over this whole thing.  I still do not fully understand why tax season continues until April 18 this year, so another weekend of no interruptions and quiet in the house and.... so what is the issue here??  HAHA  Sorry honey.  Seriously though, it will be nice to do something like have a driver for my photography addiction.

Speaking of addiction- If I don't get up to Bayfield soon, I am going to run away from home.  Lol.  I need Coco's, Madeline Island and The Bigwater Coffee shop asap, with some hiking thrown in for good measure.  Like- gotta go soon!!!  The lake is calling me.

Anyway, that is all for this update.  I might have a photo post in me later... but for now I have to go do a few more things before I go out for lunch.  Which is a good part of Tax Season- out for lunch!  :)

This week the temperature is sure to be going up and you WILL find me in my kayak by the weekend.  And that will bring me a lot of joy!

First photos

I have a new obsession- of course I have quite a few of them, which is why I am distracted like 24/7 these days- that thing is a new camera.  I recently had a little unexpected ship that came in (our family's euphemism for money coming in from an outside source, to put it in a fairly dull way) and so I got myself some better camera equipment.

My first thought was a boring thing, like pay off a bill that I have- I mean that was the only thing that sprang to mind when I found out about this.  Then I thought.... hey I could pick up that new camera lens I have been saving for/coveting/drooling over....  then the ideas came pouring in and I could spend 3 times as much-  you know how that goes.

So I consulted with a photog friend of mine about the lens and she insisted (!) that I get a new camera body as well, and as long as I was getting a telephoto lens, I should get a wide angle to go with the rest of it, and so that is sitting on my coffee table right meow!

It is an interesting thing about me- I have no problem spending money in my head, I have NO problem enjoying these things that I get.  I have a real issue actually pulling the trigger on big purchases.  I guess because so many things like this I waited to have the money for them, and in reality I did for this too, but to actually go and buy like this-almost without restraint- was really weird.  It made me strangely uncomfortable.  I have gotten over it. :)

I actually enjoy the anticipation of getting as much as the having (um, well, sort of), apparently delayed gratification is a pleasure for me.  I really do like the waiting and thinking about things and what I will do with them.  It is satisfying when it happens then and I really appreciate what I have in my hands.  I took 10 whole photos so far.  The first night- and I knew this would happen- I couldn't even do anything with it, as I had to charge the battery.  I plugged it in after I got home late from play practice- and it was ready just as I headed to bed....  I knew better than to do anything with it then.  So I thought about it all day, and by the time I got home Wednesday night I was fairly twitching.  So many new things to learn, and I am just bathing in the joy of this....

Such a pretty girl! Canon 70D with a Sigma 24-70 4.5 lens

I took the first photo that night- nothing struck me as very interesting in the house- so I made a self portrait.  Just for something to do.  Yesterday then, I went outside and did a little bit there.  I took a Lola picture and eventually a sunset picture, and in between I took this of one of the kitties.  I was smitten with the camera then and there.  The lighting was perfect, her expression was adorable and I got her in a perfect pose.  This photos was cropped and nothing else.  I learned a few settings on the fly, and was quite happy with this first grouping of pictures.  It is quite amazing how different cameras are from one another.  Now I have to figure out if I truly want to use the wifi connectivity or not.  If it doesn't work it will make me INSANE, and none of us wants that.  haha.

So I have been digging around on line and have ordered a companion manual and all that- I could read the camera instructions, but wow people, those things are boring.  :)  I have to find it, though, I know I will need it today.  All those words and almost no pictures....  hehehe.  Seems sort of ironic that a camera manual is so text based and not so much visual.

Anyway, I should finish this off.  The MA will be up soon and I need to go to get a little pampering session for my toes and the horse won't feed himself- not in the winter at least.  OH- Jacpot portraits will be coming I should think.  Maybe someone should send me daffodils so I could shoot those inside.....  So many wonderful possibilities for the day....  so much joy to be discovered.

Pictures!

I have not put up a picture post for a while.  I have a bunch of them to edit from yesterday, but here we go anyway.

From my last kayak- Flambeau River

I had a nice walk with the Mad_English Teacher last weekend, not so sure he did as he was a little on the sickish side.  But there was some decent enough color up in Bayfield, but wow I wish that I had been there this weekend.  Oh well.  I have to stay home once in a while, right?  Especially since I will be gone a few days this week.

My poor sick friend :(

Anyway, here are a few recent photos that found their way onto one of my cameras....

Favorite tree- this is one of my favorite shots of the year.

Mute swan on the Chequamegon Bay in Ashland

Poor favorite tree

Meyers Beach, Cornucopia, WI

Meyers Beach

From above the sea caves

Almost fall

Houghton Falls, Washburn, WI

Morning visitors

Another of my favorite shots from this year

The board walk above the seas caves

The road just past the entrance to Meyers Beach, Washburn

Lake Superior

Some of our very short lived fall color

Brilliant morning

I hope these photos give you a small amount of joy this very cold morning.  (23*)  But the sun is out and I am ready to go ON to a new adventure, right away!!