Well this is a fun blog for me! My Christmas tree, decorated exclusively with Star Trek ornaments, is about ready to come down. Before it went I just had to take the blog to someplace it has not been before! SPACE!

Star Trek and the Next Generation were my favorite shows growing up. I always preferred the optimism of the first series rather than the darkness of many succeeding ones. One of my favorite episodes was Darmok in Next Generation. Why? Because two beings had to solve an "impossible" puzzle of communications to help their people communicate with one another and prevent a misunderstanding....and they were willing to die to make it happen.

And that goes into my thought of the day....don't be afraid to take a chance. My wife and I tried to get some of my photos placed in a gift shop a few days ago. The owner was very nice, but it really did not fit her shop's current inventory...and there is no space at all on a wall. She uses every inch very well. So she complimented the photos and said, "No Thanks." She did take my card and offered to refer some customers to me looking for portraits.

When my wife asked me later about it, she was curious why I was not the least bit upset. I told her that we did something we had not ever done before. We got a referral opportunity we did not have earlier in the day, and we still had money for dinner! There was nothing lost in the attempt, and a lot learned in the process. The next time we will be better prepared, and go further into the unknown...maybe even make a sale!

I listened to two podcasts with successful photographers today (one on Photofocus and one on The Candid Frame..go try them out) and both reiterated we must be cautious, but not frozen by our fears. If we do not experiment, or look beyond the normal of our existence we learn nothing and do not grow. We'd be afraid to take criticism and then never listen to other people honestly. We could never have a true collegial discussion balancing faith, emotion and reason on important issues of our day, art or business.

So I'm going to try and keep moving boldly...innovate...learn...grow...and try to chase my dream a little bit further to where I have not gone before.

-ehw

PS Thanks to my wife I have the support to move along...and I am very happy she chose me 14.5 years ago is a life far, far away!