365 !!!!!!!! YIPPEE!!!!!! Made it!!!

...only took nearly 2 years!!!! Lol!!!! :-)))


Well....what can I say???? I'm not normally short of words!!! :-))
Top of my list, despite my erratic blipping...is that I SO love this place!! And the people here who on a daily basis take amazing photos, inspire me, challenge me, blow me away with their skill and enthusiasm. I also love the incredible affirmation, encouragement and affection I find here. Never, NEVER, in a million years did I expect that!!!!! :-))) Thankyou all in heaps for that...and thanks to Joe and all in the office for making this possible, and keeping it going!! :-))




On a personal note, I have wondered all day what to write now!! And debated!! Hmmm....maybe if you don't like too personal, you should skip this bit!!!!!!


When I joined here it was not really an active choice. A friend had prodded and pushed me...I didn't even own a camera when she began her little mission!! But unbeknown to her, I had come to a big cross roads in my life. I have on occassion mentioned that I have had a pretty painful life journey. 2 years ago saw me reach a point in my life where some extremely difficult stuff was now dealt with, and it was time to re focus my life. BUT HOW??? The friend I met today is really an unofficial counsellor for me. He has helped me talk through, and work through a lot. And 2 years back he suggested I start something new, a hobby, to help me re focus. And so...that's how I really ended up here!!!!!!!!

If I'm honest...I wasn't all that keen....but reckoned I'd give it a try!! And that was the start of a whole new journey for me. This may sound sentimental even...but those initial few months were unbelievable!! There is something about the power of a beautiful picture that seemed to transform me. Some were soothing, some awe inspiring, some funny, some made me so happy!!! I was a bit obsessed....following a ton of journals and just soaking up all the beauty I saw. In some strange way...it was healing!!!! And I certainly didn't join here for that!!

Then there were my own shots!! Initially, I swear...they were mostly rubbish!!!! I laugh at them now!! But people were so lovely and encouraging. I felt something come alive inside that I had no idea was there...a creative part...that I was blind to. I have literally fallen in love...in some sense!!!! And then...finding that I was really not too bad at this photography malarky was even better still!!!!!!! I just keep wanting to learn more....and luckily...I have a WAY to go!!! :-))))

So blipping has been, in fact, a very personal journey. Today I will be truthful and admit that because it is riding on the back of the "previous" stuff...it's also at times been quite an emotional journey. Which actually accounts for a little of my time away. But that's been good/OK. I think one of the ways I've coped in my life is to loose myself in the surrounding beauty. It's been very important to me. I've always "SEEN" it!! The fact that I am now capturing some of that, and that that may influence others humbles and amazes me. It's incredible!!! And I just want to do more and more!!!!

Anyway....that's enough sharing!!! Hopefully not TOO much!! ;-))
And I also had better get going up to this wedding venue!!!!! My friend needs help to drink that wine decorate that venue!!!!!!

Thankyou all again...
YOU ROCK!!!!!!!!!! :-)))))))))))

xxx
Hilary


Arghh...
I'm re reading this, and hope it's not TOO serious!!! But no time to re consider!!!!! Welcome to Hilary...the more serious than usual!!!!!!!! ;-)))