Unraveling This Life

I seriously almost lost my mind yesterday & this was the exact moment.  If you've read Jill's previous posts, you'll understand that stress is rampant between us.  I can't really figure out why either.  Jill mentioned it might be the new site/business, but I doubt that.  I'm trying to take it easy with that new venture.  Winter photographs aren't the easiest to produce.  I just wanted to get it up & toss it out into the world.  I will be updating the site with a few shoots I've done in the past couple of months.  But it isn't stressing me out.  Work has been busy & I have had to travel quite a bit.  That's probably the main culprit of my stress.  Sitting in the car for hours isn't pleasant.  Coming home to an empty fridge isn't satisfying.  Playing catch up with every single aspect of home life can be icky & time consuming.  Yesterday, it almost broke me.  And there was nothing else to do but drink.

Currently, I'm handling more territory than usual.  I had some time & I agreed to help out in Buffalo.  I have never been able to get direct flights out of Columbus, so I had to make a choice.  Fly to Newark or fly to Cleveland.  I'd rather connect through hell over Newark, so Cleveland it was.  Connections mean early flights.  I drove to the airport at 4:15 a.m. & hoped for the best.  I know that you can't count on the weather in Buffalo.  I decided to avoid weather websites before my trip.  There's really no point as it will change in a second.  I got to Cleveland late & watched the Buffalo flight get delayed by 30 minutes & then an hour.  And finally I heard, "Sorry folks.  The Buffalo flight is canceled."  I had two other options to get to Buffalo. As the rep was explaining these options I heard another airline rep tell a passenger that Buffalo's weather was going to be crappy (not her word) tomorrow, I decided to just go home.  She got me on a noon flight & I was thrilled to get a free day at home. 

Across from the customer service counter was a bar that had an inviting sign, "We have Christmas Ale!"  Christmas Ale & Red Cups are my bright spots during the holiday season.  Christmas Ale is like cheer in a bottle.  Great Lakes added a little extra joy to this beer.  After two, I'm likely to run through the streets screaming, "Merry Christmas!"    After four, you might find me with antlers crashing an office party.   I spoke to my customers, called a colleague, & decided it was late enough in the morning for a beer.  I wanted to record this moment for my 365, so I whipped out my camera.  Lined up & went to focus.  Nothing.  Zip.  I fiddled with the menu options, but nothing seemed out of place.  I detached the lens.  Still stuck on the wrong focus spot.  I pulled the battery out & hoped for the best.  But nothing changed.

I sat & worried over my Christmas Ale.  What did this mean for my 365?  Was I going to only line up shots in my bottom left area of the lens?  I've got 60 days left & this shit happens?  I felt defeated.  Even the Ale wasn't tasting as good as it should have tasted.  60 days!  So I ordered another one & hoped that it was only the lens.  My plan was to fly home happy & toasty.  But life had one more plan.  The noon flight didn't take off until 3 p.m.

I got home & tried a new lens.  Same issue.  The focus was locked.  I was starting to become frantic.  And then I looked right below my controls & saw a little "L".  Hmm?  That "L" stands for "Lock."  Perhaps...  Maybe...  Click.  Problem solved.  Don't you hate when tiny things drive you mental?  When it's the easiest fix that has alluded you for so long?  With that little switch my stress began to melt away.  I finished the edits on a clients' shoot.  More stress slipped down the mental drain.  Organized & upload the shoot.  Sigh.  Emailed a link to the client.  Let a little more seeped out.  Read "Aww.  I love them" from the client.  And I felt pretty good.  If I only had some Christmas Ale, I'd celebrate.  Maybe I'll fly back to Cleveland...

-Erika