I Was THAT Person
Proud of it too...
Okay so after Brian died I wanted to go places where no one knew me, no one gave me those funny looks and where I could do whatever I wanted because... well because I could.
I went to the Blue Ridge Mountains for a photo trip. The trip was organized by a photographer that I found on Facebook, no I did not troll around on Craigslist. He seems to know what he was doing and I thought this would be the perfect chance to get away and learn something about my camera and meet some new people.
I scheduled the trip and each time I spoke with the group leader on the phone he sounded weird. I don't want to label people, but he was an Odd Thomas. I was scared but I also knew I had a safe hotel room and I had my car so I could leave if I needed to... which I did, but more on that later...
So I start my long drive to Pigeon Forge, by leaving my house at 5 am. The drive was amazing and since it was light out, I didn't stress out too much about deer. Everything was green and the drive was pretty much uneventful.
I get lost of course, those of you who know me well know me!! It was a simple *cough* mistake, I just transposed the numbers of the address to the hotel and I wandered into a hotel who had no idea who I was.
Lovely.
So I find my hotel and find out that the group leader put us all together so we can chat and get to know each other. Hmm, okay.
Thank god I brought my own coffee pot.
I unpack and knew I had a few hours to kill before the first photo op and I needed a nap. I get all comfy and cozy and then the knocking started on my door. Mr Group Leader found out I was the first one there, and was all excited to see how grumpy I am when someone wakes me up. I open the door was immediately accosted by saliva. As soon as he started talking it flew. I made up my mind right then and there that I was not sitting next to him at any restaurant.
Now, I am only poking fun and people because of the state of emotion I was in at the time.
So he starts talking and I am too busy dodging bullets that I had to have him repeat what he said, which was to keep an eye out for the others, yea instead of napping I don't think so. I told him I would after my nap and shut the door promptly, because I was going to be that person. I went to lay down and of course couldn't fall back to sleep. So then I was on the computer and peeking through the window to get sneak peeks of the others that were in the group.
The first man I saw walked with a cane. Now we are in the mountains, I brought two pair of hiking boots and I know that there are bears out there, so the need to run fast was an asset. I gave the gentleman the benefit of the doubt and thought maybe he was using a walking stick as a tripod...
Me and my bright ideas.. heh
I went outside to introduce myself, and he told me his name, which I forgot, and then he told me he was afraid of heights as well and he would have to not go when we visited some peak for sunset photo's I was like umm okay. We talked, and everything went in one ear and out the other, but I managed to escape into my room until the next people came. There were 6 of us in all so the small group made for some great photography instruction..
While everyone was getting ready for the first photo shoot, I was busy assessing everyone up. I figured that I would meet some great people on the trip from across the United States and I was right. But, I didn't have a hankering to make plans to visit any of them. We all packed up the van, climbed in, and proceeded to a close photo op. I sat in the back so I could watch all of the interactions with each other and determine how I was going to present myself. I could be whomever I wanted, and I was planning on taking full advantage of it. I was already labeled the person who was late to the very first trip, I was talking to a girlfriend back home, telling her about all of the personalities and I looked out my window to see almost everyone inside of the van. I hurriedly made my way to the group. I could have made a million excuses but like them I was excited and wanted to get on the road, so I clammed up and was good for the time being.
The 4 hour long shoot was amazing, I learned more about my camera in those 4 hours than I had the entire time I owned the camera. I was also the person who had to borrow a tripod. Who, yes tell me who forgets their tripod on a photo trip?? Yep, that's me. I would up going into town to purchase more batteries for my camera and purchased a tripod, instead of having Bryant overnight mine to the hotel.
We all ate dinner together and we talked about what we did for a living and how we got into photography. There was no need to let them all know I was a widow, it was nice being around people who didn't know, and who did not give me the looks. I didn't need or want the looks on this trip. I wanted to be Jessica.
Part 2 - to be continued (I started this post almost a year ago, it's about time I finish telling my stories)
Okay so after Brian died I wanted to go places where no one knew me, no one gave me those funny looks and where I could do whatever I wanted because... well because I could.
I went to the Blue Ridge Mountains for a photo trip. The trip was organized by a photographer that I found on Facebook, no I did not troll around on Craigslist. He seems to know what he was doing and I thought this would be the perfect chance to get away and learn something about my camera and meet some new people.
I scheduled the trip and each time I spoke with the group leader on the phone he sounded weird. I don't want to label people, but he was an Odd Thomas. I was scared but I also knew I had a safe hotel room and I had my car so I could leave if I needed to... which I did, but more on that later...
So I start my long drive to Pigeon Forge, by leaving my house at 5 am. The drive was amazing and since it was light out, I didn't stress out too much about deer. Everything was green and the drive was pretty much uneventful.
I get lost of course, those of you who know me well know me!! It was a simple *cough* mistake, I just transposed the numbers of the address to the hotel and I wandered into a hotel who had no idea who I was.
Lovely.
So I find my hotel and find out that the group leader put us all together so we can chat and get to know each other. Hmm, okay.
Thank god I brought my own coffee pot.
I unpack and knew I had a few hours to kill before the first photo op and I needed a nap. I get all comfy and cozy and then the knocking started on my door. Mr Group Leader found out I was the first one there, and was all excited to see how grumpy I am when someone wakes me up. I open the door was immediately accosted by saliva. As soon as he started talking it flew. I made up my mind right then and there that I was not sitting next to him at any restaurant.
Now, I am only poking fun and people because of the state of emotion I was in at the time.
So he starts talking and I am too busy dodging bullets that I had to have him repeat what he said, which was to keep an eye out for the others, yea instead of napping I don't think so. I told him I would after my nap and shut the door promptly, because I was going to be that person. I went to lay down and of course couldn't fall back to sleep. So then I was on the computer and peeking through the window to get sneak peeks of the others that were in the group.
The first man I saw walked with a cane. Now we are in the mountains, I brought two pair of hiking boots and I know that there are bears out there, so the need to run fast was an asset. I gave the gentleman the benefit of the doubt and thought maybe he was using a walking stick as a tripod...
Me and my bright ideas.. heh
I went outside to introduce myself, and he told me his name, which I forgot, and then he told me he was afraid of heights as well and he would have to not go when we visited some peak for sunset photo's I was like umm okay. We talked, and everything went in one ear and out the other, but I managed to escape into my room until the next people came. There were 6 of us in all so the small group made for some great photography instruction..
While everyone was getting ready for the first photo shoot, I was busy assessing everyone up. I figured that I would meet some great people on the trip from across the United States and I was right. But, I didn't have a hankering to make plans to visit any of them. We all packed up the van, climbed in, and proceeded to a close photo op. I sat in the back so I could watch all of the interactions with each other and determine how I was going to present myself. I could be whomever I wanted, and I was planning on taking full advantage of it. I was already labeled the person who was late to the very first trip, I was talking to a girlfriend back home, telling her about all of the personalities and I looked out my window to see almost everyone inside of the van. I hurriedly made my way to the group. I could have made a million excuses but like them I was excited and wanted to get on the road, so I clammed up and was good for the time being.
The 4 hour long shoot was amazing, I learned more about my camera in those 4 hours than I had the entire time I owned the camera. I was also the person who had to borrow a tripod. Who, yes tell me who forgets their tripod on a photo trip?? Yep, that's me. I would up going into town to purchase more batteries for my camera and purchased a tripod, instead of having Bryant overnight mine to the hotel.
We all ate dinner together and we talked about what we did for a living and how we got into photography. There was no need to let them all know I was a widow, it was nice being around people who didn't know, and who did not give me the looks. I didn't need or want the looks on this trip. I wanted to be Jessica.
Part 2 - to be continued (I started this post almost a year ago, it's about time I finish telling my stories)
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