I am (hardly) the picture image of serenity.

Sleep has yet to come to me so I write. Last night was no exception to my nightmare rule. This one was full of kidnapping, pigs, trains and images far more lethal than those 3 combined.

It's been during these 6 months that I have hoped relentlessly for a darkroom. But to no avail. My minor in college was photography. It started out being English, but as it turns out, I absolutely hate to write. Photograhy I chanced upon by pure accident. At the time, Matt was taking video courses for his major. It was recommended that he also take a still photography class. So I took it with him. I've always been interested in photography. Just ask my poor family, who, much to their disliking, have been the subjects. I try to get them at the most inopportune times...like eating at Thanksgiving. This consistently makes for a better picture. These are the times you want to remember. Not the posed, which are fine, but not always as meaningful.

Anyhow, we took the most basic of classes. It entailed how to operate a manual camera, develop your own film and print your own negatives. I loved it! It was the most fascinating subject I had learned. There's nothing like being in a darkroom. The repetition and rhythm of developing a print is serene and calming. For me, it was like baking. It becomes routine and your mind is free to wander. However, being there had the opposite effect. My mind wandered so much that after a while it was gloriously clear. And that's what I liked about it. It was my addiction.

Matt and I were sometimes there for hours upon hours. The sound of the music our lab instructor liked and the movement of the water, the red lighting, the smell of the chemicals...all these elements bring a goofy smile to my face. Our darkroom was similar to this:

And as it turns out...it was something I was actually good at. I've tried many things growing up...karate, dance/ballet, gymnastics, soccer (to which my mom signed me up, but I refused to play). I quit all of these things. I'm not coordinated enough for physical activity. I can still deal out a good (pardon the language) ass-kicking, but that's not due to karate, but to having an older brother who used to like to practice his karate on me. But photography is different. I had a knack for it, as they say. I entered several prints in the State Fair and actually won on a couple of them. 1st and 3rd place on some black and whites and 2nd place on a colored. That might not sound like much until you hear that the State Fair's creative arts competition is one of the largest in the US. Feel free to be impressed...now. :) So I ventured from black and white to the most advanced color.

Anyhow...thought I'd let my dream for a darkroom be known. One day I shall have one to call my own. Yes...one day.