A note: I had this mostly written for the 18th (if taxes aren’t due on the 15th, my check-in could wait) but then I caught a gross head cold from Sean and spent all of yesterday in bed.
Holy moly, it’s my second-to-last check in for the self-guided syllabus project. The past month has been great, and I feel very positive and energized. Here’s my update:
READINGS
I finished the Art of Non-Conformity and have read most of Creative, Inc. Both books have been great kick-starters although in different ways. The AONC is loaded with inspiring quotes and stories and was, for me, a cheerleader. Creative, Inc. took the good energy and can-do attitude inspired by AONC and helped me begin to visualize what a photography side business would look like (and entail and demand from me). I’m going to read Smalltopia this weekend and hopefully re-start The Happiness Project. I am currently reading Jane Eyre for fun though, and The Happiness Project may have to wait until I can finish that creepy tale.
Like I wrote last month, I decided to ease up on the assignment that I attend five yoga classes. My intention behind that assignment was to awaken myself physically and create some discipline when it came to exercise. I’ve definitely accomplished this goal with my regular workouts at the club and Lion’s Breath, the volleyball team I joined.
My big field trip–the silent retreat–is coming up this weekend. Last month I described some of the difficulty in finding a weekend that matched my availability and that of the Abbey’s. I’ve been on a waiting list for Easter weekend for over a month now, and as of last Monday there was still no room. I decided last Tuesday to give up on the Abbey and booked myself a cabin at a campground about an hour from here. Before I even had a chance to get off the waiting list at the Abbey, Father Jerome emailed that a spot had opened up. By this time I’d grown excited about the idea of a cabin rental, including nightly campfires, and decided to keep the reservation. So, I head out for a two-night, two-day retreat on Friday. I am really looking forward to it. The owner of the campground even told me, “How nice to have this quality time to yourself, everyone should do it!” Indeed.
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS
I wrote responses to both library-related prompts: one in which I describe my dream library job, and one in which I write about my fears/hesitations to continue with the library program. I also took the dream library job prompt and applied it to my ideal photography business, and then purposefully explored my fears around that option. I’m glad I did this exercise because it made me realize that while my interest in completing my MLS has waned significantly, I still don’t feel comfortable leaving the program yet. I need to have a better idea of what the photography business entails before I can comfortably do that. Lucky for me, I asked and was grant more time in the form of an extended leave of absence from my school. So what does “having a better idea” of the photography business mean? I’ll get to that in a minute in the following section.
Other than the above exercises and a few scattered journal entries, my writing has really taken a backseat to other pursuits. I’m looking forward to hunkering down with my laptop this weekend at the retreat. If nothing else, I have some things to report about what happens when a woman tells people she’s going to spend a weekend in the woods alone.
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSIGNMENTS
This is where I pushed past my comfort zone this month. I created and shared a family/couple/kid photography package and sent it out to several friends and acquaintances. In short, I offered them a 1-2 hour photo session and the rights to all the processed and edited photos from that session in exchange for letting me practice and use the photos for future promotional materials (i.e. a website).
I was nervous to send out the offer but in the most delicious, exciting way. I’ve had a great response so far and have FIVE sessions in the works for May and June. I am so thrilled and, again, nervous. The people participating are a great range of good friends, new friends, and friends/family of friends. I’m grateful that one of the first sessions is with people I’ve known for awhile and with whom I feel super comfortable, and I’m so honored that some of the folks I don’t know as well are up for inviting me in to their families. I’ll make sure to post more–and possibly some photos–after the first session.
I still need to do the following this month: interview/have coffee with a photographer working in the field I’m interested in entering, and rent the light kit from Squeaky Wheel and create a photo booth. And as I learned from my trouble finding a retreat weekend/location, the sooner I plan the next month out the more likely I’ll get my work done.
AND FINALLY
Thanks for reading and supporting me throughout this project. Your comments on last month’s update meant a lot to me. Xo.
show hide 4 comments
Lisa Fine - Wow. I’m glad it’s going so well at this point, Whit. I love hearing about the photography business, and that you’re jumping in. And the five sets of people you’ll be photographing will make great references down the road.
I’d love to hear about your one-woman retreat. I’ve always wanted to go camping by myself, and find it pretty inspirational to hear about your upcoming journey.
kirk - Whitney I am super pumped about the photos you are going to take for Tracie and I. Have fun this weekend and go in with no expectations and you will find what you didn’t expect!
Teresa - I feel in many ways as though Kirk, you, and I have all been on parallel personal journeys of discovery over the last year. As such, I find it particularly amusing that I scheduled my own retreat for next week. I am going down to Angelica in the Southern Tier, close to where I went to college. It is so restorative for me, and I am very much looking forward to a quiet couple of days to reflect, meditate, and experience whatever happens.
Your journey has been so inspiring, and I appreciate this update. It is such an act of courage to be so open about your plans, your doubts, your setbacks, and your insights. Thank you for the gift of sharing.
ms. awesome/tabitha - Ooh! Just my type of check-in! Sounds like you are on track to all sorts of amazingness AND we have very similar reading trajectories- I just finished The Happiness Project and am starting Creative. Inc. Best of luck, can’t wait to read more!