Five Minutes, Five Goals

There was a span of five minutes in 2009 that in all seriousness may have changed my life. It happened in early April. I was sitting on the floor of my friend Carly's home. Her closest friends and family members were gathered around and watching a slide show of photos that I had taken the previous day. Sitting there and listening to the oohs and awwws and then applause that followed the slide show was almost too much. It was a great moment. No not great. Great is too small a word. It was monumental. I don't think I completely knew at that moment, but something in me was sparked and I haven't been the same since.

I will always remember 2009 as the year I started dreaming big. I remember the exact moment that made me think I could take an entirely different path than the one I was on. And before I knew it, I was was gingerly tip toeing down that path. And in 2010, I just want to sprint down it as quick as possible.

It's no secret that I am trying to transform my love of photography into something more than just a hobby. And what gets me about this is despite all the goals I had for myself in 2009 this pursuit can be found no where on the list. I didn't even know these dreams were in me. I honestly didn't know what I was capable of. So in this coming year, I will do just that - try and see what I'm capable of. I will try to transform my hobby into a career. This is by far my number one goal. But I also know it's too lofty, it's too big. I know there are things I can do and steps I can take that will propel me further down this new path. These things make up the majority of my 2010 goals.

Goal number one: Take 10,000 photos
There is a theory that in order to master something you need to do it for 10,000 hours. Well I did the math and even if I spent every second of 2010 taking photos, I still wouldn't log 10,000 hours. So I can't do that. But I think it's reasonable to say I can take 10,000 photos in a year. And thanks to my digital card reader, I should be able to keep track pretty easily. I might even do a little tracking side bar a la Kelsa. I've taken 63 today already.

Goal number two: Get on WBEZ photo of the day.
Every work day I log onto Chicago Public Radio and listen to their live feed online. On the front page each day there is a photo of the day. I want one of my photos featured there. I already submit photos to their Flickr pool and given that I'll be taking more photos throughout the year (see goal above) I might have a better shot at submitting one that is ultimately selected.

Goal number three: Attend six digital photography meet ups.
I belong to the Chicago Digital Photography Meet Up group, but only in spirit. I have yet to attend an event despite the weekly emails they send me. So I'd like to try and attend one every two months. I need to network and meet other photographers, and this is the best way I can see to achieve this. It also will require a lot of stepping out of my comfort zone which is exciting and scary all at the same time.

Now I don't want to have photography be my one and only focus in the coming year. It will take up plenty of my energy and free time, but there are two other things I plan to do/attempt.

Goal number four: Buy only ethically raised meat.
I could write an entire blog post on this, and probably will at some point. Suffice it to say, over the course of 2009 I became increasingly aware of the health and environmental benefits that stem from eating meat that has been ethically raised. I'm not saying that's all I'm going to eat. For instance, last night my NYE hostess made chicken. I'm not going to be so bold as to demand my dietary restrictions upon others, but ethically raised meat (and cage free eggs) will be all I purchase.

Goal number five: Touch my toes.
I can't do it. It hurts. My hamstrings and lower back are so tight that this is the best I can do.


I mean look how far away my hands are from my feet.


Pathetic. I don't want Mike to be able to make fun of my inflexibility any more, so I'm doing something about it. Daily stretching here I come. Yay!

(I thought I was having a good hair day until I saw this photo. I don't care too much though because I haven't left the house today - hence no make up - and don't think I will. It's a lazy New Year's day.)

I think my life is pretty darn great, so even if I fail miserably at all of my goals I think I'd still be happy. But I also am not one to sit back and be content with things just as they are. Hence my 2010 goals. I wish you all the best in achieving your goals in the in the new year.