Week Two

This would be the week that I returned from my 10 year reunion. I can't BELIEVE I haven't blogged about that.

The highlights: A guy that I always stood up for because deep down I knew that he was a troubled soul and not really the ass that he portrayed turned out to be a wonderful, amazing, generous, caring guy. That, and he seems to remember that I was always there for him. In a quiet and reserved way, perhaps, but always there none the less. He was so sweet to me that night that I can't really remember anything else about the night, with two exceptions.

The first is the wonderful conversation that I was able to have with a dear friend who, even though she was at my wedding, I hadn't really had time to sit down and reconnect with for a while. That was worth the trip. So, SRN, cheers!

The second is that I discovered that I am the namesake for a cat. The cat's name is my full name. Apparently, the cat's owner decided, and I quote, "There isn't a better name for a cat than [mine]." I am choosing to take this as a compliment, though concerned if I should ever meet the cat.

This would also be the week that I developed and printed my One Light Portrait Character Study the old fashioned way - on black and white fiber-based paper with caustic, toxic, dripping wet chemistry. Glorious day. I spent six hours in the darkroom.

The next day the instructor looked at all of the work on the display and asked "Is there anyone that you would hire to take your portrait?" to the class in general and right away another classmate said that he would hire me. At this point the instructor took the opportunity to look at all of the work and said, "Yeah that is definitely one of the best...no, hold that, the best printing of all the images here."

Though I was and will remain ecstatic over this exclamation, it is just like me to be the best at a dying art.

Class size at this point has dwindled from the original 12 to 11.