Paul Lester Photo

I just recently received an e-mail from SmugMug saying that it is my one year anniversary and is time to renew my account. Also, sometime this month, it will be time to decide if I wish to renew my yearly subscription at Kelby Training.

Last year, I let my Lenswork subscription expire, as well as the one from Outdoor Photographer. More than likely, I’ll let my Kelby Training subscription, which is $199/year, expire. I only used it a couple of times, so it really wasn’t worth it. As for SmugMug, I don’t know. I like the service, but I just don’t update my gallery that much. This is one of those cases, though, where it doesn’t hurt much to keep it. It’s only $59/year, or something like that. Also, now that I’m messing with CSS, I might try my hand, again, at maintaining my own gallery, but it’s not a top priority.

I guess that for the most part, I like to try something, see if it is useful, then let it go if it isn’t. Why keep paying? In this economy, that might be pretty foolish! There is nothing wrong with these products, but I think that they have a shelf life, so to speak.

Have you found any subscriptions, relating to your photography, that you continue to renew?

This morning: Slightly before sunrise

“Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in morning, sailor’s warning”

I usually don’t give Groundhog Day much of a thought. Here in the U.S., Groundhog Day, February 2nd, is the day when Punxsutawney Phil, a groundhog and official weather prognosticator, gives his official forecast as to the remaining length of winter. Will we be from winter’s grasp early or will winter hang on for 6 more weeks. If it is a sunny day and Phil sees his shadow, that means 6 more weeks; however, should the mid-winter point bring a cloudy day and Phil doesn’t see his shadow, all is well. Phil’s prediction this year: 6 more weeks of cold, hard, winter.

I didn’t realize that this tradition is practiced in several places around the world, such as Germany, England, and Scotland. To my knowledge, we are the only ones who use a groundhog, though. Here’s a history, if you are interested. In Germany, it’s called Candlemas Day.

Well, I think that Phil is wrong again this year. At least he’s starting out pretty badly. Yesterday, here in Charlotte, it was a nice, sunny 75 degrees. Today calls for mostly sunny and 71. Oh well, Phil, can’t win them all! It did look like he could have been right, as the first couple of days after Feb 2nd, things were cold indeed. We had some morning temperatures in the upper teens! 17, 18, 19 degrees Fahrenheit! Brrr.

Phil’s skill as a prognosticator, it should be mentioned, are limited. His success rate is only 39%, but that may not be too bad, especially when you’re looking 6 weeks out. Perhaps he’s better than the local weather men who have computer models, satellite imagery, etc. and still only manage to get it right about 1/2 of the time even 2 days out, let alone 6 weeks!

I really like these old wives’ tales and traditions.

Hurry! There and back!
Has it really been six months that I’ve been in Charleston? 26 weeks?!!! It’s been quite an experience, but the most overwhelming experience of it all has been the sense of tiredness. There’s never a place to rest.

There’s a constant shifting of one place to the other. By the time that I get used to being in Charleston, it’s time to go back to Charlotte. When I spend 3 nights in Charlotte (Friday, Saturday, Sunday), I almost get used to being at home, then it’s time to go again. No rest.

Today we had an all-hands meeting of our team. There are about 15 of us, divided into 3 teams. When I first got here in Charleston, I was an individual contributor. Just another worker bee. I liked it. Some 2 months after I had been here, I was chosen, nominated, and elected as technical team leader for my team, which now consists of 5 people, myself included. I’ve become quite fond of my team. As I sat at the table this afternoon, I looked at the faces of those that I have come to know over the last 6 months and, suddenly, a great tiredness overcame me. I thought that eventually I’d have to part ways with these people that I’ve come to like very much and return home. Another separation.

I think that working out of town is similar to constantly pulling on a rubber band. Initially, when the rubber band is new, it is very elastic and bounces back quickly. Gradually, as you continue to stretch it to its limit over and over again, it starts to loose some of its elasticity and it takes a bit longer to regain its former shape. Many are the times when I feel like staying here in Charleston, just so I won’t have to feel that Friday evening ‘stretch’ and then again on Sunday/Monday, but I know that I would miss my family terribly if I couldn’t see them for 2 weeks. For whatever reason, this has been a particularly difficult week. Some are better than others. Kudos to those of you who have survived this for much longer periods than 6 months.

I’m still surviving, to be sure, and it’s nice to have a place to write down my feelings about this as well as to share a few pictures, too. I know that I’ll rebound, but this week, as I said, has been difficult and I’m exhausted, so it’s kind of difficult to come up with interesting topics to post.

Note: About the picture. Yes, I took it while I was driving. It was about 5:00 AM. I had my camera on the seat, 50mm 1.8 mounted, and I let the auto focus do its thing. I took about 10 shots and one of the came out in focus. This is a very familiar sight. I lock the cruise control on 80 MPH and pretty much keep it there for the whole journey.