Best of '09 Challenge

20sb posted a challenge for December; I'm not going to take part in the entire challenge, just a few that has some meaning to me in the past year (and it's going to be 3 posts in one).

25 December: Gift - What's a gift you gave yourself that has kept on giving?

This one's easy!

And it links to a self-gift from 2008. My slr!

I absolutely love my slr, and the more I take photographs the more I want to continue taking photographs.

I bought my slr as an early Christmas gift to myself a year ago. Within the last year I've done three photography courses - two on the basics, and one on post-production. Of course, they don't come cheaply! Half the time (when I'm not going on ad nauseum to some poor soul who dares ask me about photography) I want to hit my head against the wall...why oh why did I have to fall in love with such an expensive hobby!

The equipment!
The courses!
The printing!

Do I regret any of the money spent? Of course not.

How this gift - of learning more about photography - has kept on giving; I looked into doing a full time course in photography, and possibly changing careers (another story for another day!), and one meeting where I just wanted advice regarding how to approach things I was offered provisional acceptance.

Now, I know it's not an actual acceptance, but the offer of provisional acceptance, based on a handful of photographs, from a meeting where all I was expecting was advice...an amazing feeling!

And a sign, if you wish, that perhaps I'm not living in my own world.

That perhaps my photographs are actually that good.

That I could possibly change careers...with a lot of determination, a little faith, and plenty of stubbornness.

Of course, there's SO much I don't know yet, and so much I still need to figure out.

But one thing it is...a gift that has kept on giving - not just for me as a person, but to the those I capture on camera (at least, that's one of my aims)

26 December: Insight or A-ha moment - What was your epiphany of the year?

One thing I've more or less kept blogging about... aside from travel of course.

Change!

Change is a constant.

No matter how much I want to fight it, or ignore it.

It's not always easy, and trying to run away from it is pointless.

The amount of change I've undergone in the past year is crazy. Not only work-wise or my wee bit of travel experience, but personally too.

A fairly huge epiphany for me: I know more about more myself than I think I do. I'm capable of more than I think I am.

My decisions have not yet failed me, I'd like to keep it that way.
I should believe in myself for than I do.

Family and friends - priceless!

27 December: Social Web Moment - Did you meet someone you used to only know from her blog? Did you discover Twitter?

Nope, did not discover Twitter. Micro-blogging, not really my thing. Facebook is more than sufficient. People really do not need to know what I'm doing or thinking every second of every day.

I've not met anyone who keeps a blog, but I've met a few great people off a social networking site/forum. Interacting over the net and finally meeting up irl - fabulous. They've all added to my year.

One in particular deserves mention - I don't tend to blog about personal things, but meeting someone via the interwebz who you get along with online and in the real world, who becomes a best friend! Fabulous.

Here's to interweb friendships becoming real life friendships and continuing from strength to strength!

Some may say online friends aren't 'real friends'; I beg to differ, because sometimes your online friends know more about you than your 'real friends'. If only because they're there when you are having a bad day and are arbing online hiding from the world.

Of course, most things online should be taken with a pinch of salt, but not everyone's a troll...and those who you get to meet in person - and they're as great and true in reality. Worth treasuring, and definitely a real friend!